10th NASS: South-West PDP Members-elect Demand Minority Leadership

The House of Representatives Members-elect from the South-West elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have demanded that the position of Minority Leader in the 10th session of the House be ceded to the geopolitical zone.

The lawmakers-elect’s demand was contained in a letter dated June 9, 2023 and addressed to the acting PDP national chairman, Umar Damagun, a copy of which was sighted by LEADERSHIP on Friday night.

The letter was signed by 15 members-elect including Bamidele Salam, Oluwole Oke from Osun State; Ojo Makanjuola, Adebayo Adepoju, Stanley Adediji from Oyo State, and Festus Akingbaso from Ondo State, amongst others.

In the letter, the South-West PDP members-elect argued that the position of Minority Leader in the 8th and 9th House of Representatives was occupied by Hon. Leo Ogor and Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, respectively and both from the South-South zone of the country.

They said insisted that in the interest of fairness, equity and justice, the South-West should be duly considered to fill the position of Minority Leader in the incoming 10th House of Representatives.

The letter reads in parts: “We, the undersigned, being elected members of the House of Representatives from the South West zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wish to respectfully invite your Excellency to intervene on the issue of the zoning of the Minority Leader in the 10th Assembly which is due for inauguration on Tuesday 13th June, 2023.

“We wish to also draw your attention to an agreement among members-elect of the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives that the position of the Minority Leader should be ceded to the Southern part of the country for the next Assembly.

“It is, therefore, our considered view that in the interest of fairness, equity and justice, the South West should be duly considered to fill this position of Minority Leader in the 10th Assembly of the House of Representatives.

“Apart from fulfilling the core values of inclusiveness and justice which our Party is noted for, this will also greatly boost the morale of our party members and help in the strengthening of our Party in the Zone and the country at large.”

LEADERSHIP, however, gathered that a prominent former Governor from South-South was already rooting for a ranking member from his State to emerge as Minority Leader of the next 10th House.