How Abbas Stepped In to Save Wike Ally Kingsley Chinda from Being Removed as Minority Leader

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has intervened in the escalating crisis threatening Kingsley Chinda’s position as minority leader, SK Blog has learned.

Opposition lawmakers held a closed-door meeting on Monday night to decide Chinda’s fate, but in an unusual move, Abbas attended the session and appealed for calm. He urged aggrieved members to give him time to mediate, asking that no drastic action be taken against Chinda.

According to multiple sources, the meeting, which began around 8 p.m. and lasted until nearly midnight, became heated as lawmakers called for Chinda’s removal following his decision to obtain a court order restraining opposition parties from replacing him.

“Abbas is not a member of the caucus, but because of the seriousness of the issue, he stepped in and begged that Chinda be allowed to explain himself,” a source close to the discussions said.

Chinda, who represents the Obio/Akpor federal constituency in Rivers State, is a staunch ally of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike. His close relationship with Wike — a key figure in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) — has fueled growing resentment among opposition lawmakers, who accuse him of weakening the caucus’s unity and failing to hold the ruling party accountable.

Lawmakers also faulted Chinda for not convening any minority caucus meetings since the 10th Assembly began.

The crisis deepened after Chinda obtained an ex parte order from the Federal High Court in Abuja, restraining all opposition parties from taking steps to remove him. The suit listed the National Assembly, the Speaker, and several minority parties — including the PDP, Labour Party, NNPP, APGA, SDP, ADC, and YPP — as respondents.

In court filings, Chinda alleged that some PDP members had been holding “clandestine meetings” with lawmakers from other opposition parties to plot his removal, claiming the move was driven by his association with Wike.

The legal action angered many caucus members, who accused Chinda of acting unilaterally and betraying their trust. During Monday’s meeting, Chinda defended his decision, saying he went to court to prevent being “ambushed” and to buy time for reconciliation.

“He told them it’s only a tree that hears it’s about to be cut down and still stands. He said going to court was purely for self-preservation,” one insider revealed.

Chinda also appealed to his colleagues not to destroy his political career, citing the example of former Speaker Patricia Etteh, whose ouster was later used against her politically.

Lawmakers from the north are reportedly united in their push for Chinda’s removal, while their southern counterparts remain divided. Members from Oyo and a few southern states want him out, but an attempt by some southeastern lawmakers to pass a vote of confidence failed to gain traction.

Abbas eventually persuaded the lawmakers to grant Chinda a one-week reprieve to address their grievances. “They were ready to remove him that night, but out of respect for the Speaker, they agreed to wait,” a source said.

At Tuesday’s plenary, Abbas read a letter from Chinda inviting opposition lawmakers to a follow-up meeting as efforts to resolve the leadership crisis continue.