‘No Announcement, No Sitting’ – Opposition House Members Insist On Swearing In Of Fred Agbedi As Minority Leader

There was a mild drama on Thursday at the National Assembly as opposition members of the House of Representatives insisted on the declaration of Fred Agbedi as the Minority Leader of the House.

The lawmakers, who gathered at the lobby, insisted that the day’s plenary would not go ahead unless Agbedi is announced as the Minority Leader.

A trending video captured the lawmakers chanting ‘no announcement, no sitting.’

Naija News reports that this comes as the House prepares to vote on major constitutional amendments, including the long-anticipated State Police.

The protesting members were identified as the G-60 opposition caucus in the House of Representatives.

See the video.

The group, led by Ikenga Imo-Ugochinyere, have thrown their weight behind the member representing Sagbama-Ekeremor Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State, Fred Agbedi, as Minority Leader and Abdusammad Dasuki, representing Kebbe-Tambuwal Federal Constituency of Sokoto State, as Deputy Minority Leader.

The lawmakers stormed plenary on Thursday, demanding that the House leadership address the minority leadership position, arguing that failure to do so will result in plenary proceedings being put on hold.

It would be recalled that the race for the emergence of a new Minority Leader of the House had taken different turns in recent weeks following the resignation of Kingsley Chinda from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The member representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State in the House of Representatives, Ikenga Ugochinyere, had declared interest in the position of Minority Leader of the House, but his bid suffered constant setbacks.

However, a peace deal between the G-60 group and the House leadership led to Thursday’s demand that Agbedi be announced as the new Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.