NEC: Reps Minority, PDP Caucuses Disown Agitating Opposition Lawmakers

The minority and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucuses in the House of Representatives have disowned Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere and his coalition of opposition lawmakers, saying the body is unknown to the parliament.

This was contained in a statement issued and co-signed by all the minority caucus leaders, Kingsley Chinda, (caucus leader), Ali Madaki, (deputy leader), Ali Isah (minority whip) and George Ozodinobi, (deputy minority whip).

The opposition lawmakers said this in reaction to a press conference addressed by Hon Ikenga Ugochinyere and five others as well as 54 members under the aegis of Coalition of Opposition Lawmakers.

The Opposition Lawmakers Coalition had at a press conference on Monday threatened to dump PDP if its leadership fails to nullify what they called a doctored list of caretaker committees in Rivers and 10 other states filled with members and loyalists of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

The group named, Opposition Lawmakers Coalition, also asked the acting national chairman of PDP, Ambassador Umar Damagun, to relinquish the position so that a party member from the North Central geo-political zone will serve as acting chairman, pending the conduct of national convention as required by the party’s constitution.

The position of the opposition lawmakers fuels the rising tensions within PDP as its prepares for much anticipated National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on April 18.

Reacting to the declarations of the opposition lawmakers, the caucuses yesterday said: “Our attention has been drawn to a press release by the group and state unequivocally that the Minority caucus and PDP Caucus dissociate themselves from the said press statement.

“The said coalition of lawmakers led by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere is unknown to the parliament and both caucuses condemn

in totality the absurd move, uncouth and unparliamentary language of the group.

“That the general public should take note that such a coalition is unknown to parliament and their demands does not represent that of the Minority parties.The said lawmakers should desist from further misinformation of the public and be more honourable in their conduct,” the statement added.