…Write Speaker Abbas

61 out of 81 opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives have signed and endorsed Hon. Ikegwuonu Ugochinyere (APP, Imo) as the new Minority leader in the lower chamber.

The endorsement of Ugochinyere, who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) and represents Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, was contained in a letter dated June 3, 2026, and addressed to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.

The letter titled, “Nomination of new minority leader for the 10th House of Representatives” reads, “We, the undersigned members of the minority parties of the 10th House of Representatives whose names and signatures appear below, wish to communicate our nomination of Hon. Ikegwuono Ugochinyere (Ikenga Imo), member representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, as our elected nominee to replace Hon. Chinda Kingsley Ogundu for the position of the Minority Leader in view of his decampment to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The 61 lawmakers are from NDC, ADC, APGA, PRP, LP, APP, APM, SDP and Accord Party.

The names of the 61 lawmakers who signed the letter, which was obtained by our correspondent include Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere (APP – Imo), Hon. Aliyu Mustapha Abdullahi (ADC – Kaduna), Hon. Aniekwe Peter Udogalanya (NDC – Anambra), Hon. Shehu Dalhatu (PDP – Katsina), Hon. Aliyu Bappa Misau (APM – Bauchi), Hon. Matthew Nwogu (APP – Imo), Hon. Ojo Sunday Makanjuola (APM – Oyo), Hon. Anthony Adepoju (APM – Oyo), Hon. Isah Bello Ambarura (ADC – Sokoto), Hon. Sani Yakubu Noma (ADC – Kebbi), Hon. Umar Mukhtar Zakari (NDC – Kano), Hon. Adamu Sani Wakili (NDC – Kano), Hon. Datti Yusuf Umar (NDC – Kano), Hon. Abdulhakeem Kamilu Ado (NDC – Kano), Hon. Philip Agbese (LP – Benue), Hon. Dahiru Abubakar Sarki (SDP – Nasarawa), Hon. Thaddeus Attah (NDC – Lagos), Hon. Gwacham Maureen Chinwe (APGA – Anambra), Hon. Obinna Aguocha (LP – Abia), Hon. Nnabuife Chinwe Clara (APGA – Anambra) and Hon. Peter Ifeanyi Uzokwe (NDC – Anambra).

Others are Hon. Emeka Idu Godwin Obiajulu (NDC – Anambra), Hon. Oyedeji Najimdeen Oyeshina (APM – Oyo), Hon. Joshua Obika (NDC – FCT), Hon. Okonkwo Uchenna Harris (NDC – Anambra), Hon. Oluwande George (NDC – Lagos), Hon. Jesse Okey-Joe Onuakalusi (NDC – Lagos), Hon. Oladebo Lanre Omoleye (ACCORD – Osun), Hon. Mudashiru Lukman Alani (ACCORD – Osun), Hon. Mani Maishinko Katami (ADC – Sokoto), Hon. Usman Basiru – ADC – Sokoto, Hon. Ibe Okwara Osonwa (LP – Abia), Hon. Alexanda Ifeanyi Ikwechegh (LP – Abia), Hon. Omoruyi Murphy Osaro (NDC – Edo), Hon. Aliyu Aminu Garu (APM – Bauchi), Hon. Auwalu Abdu Gwalabe (APM – Bauchi), Hon. Hashimu Adamu (APM – Bauchi), Hon. Akanni Clement Ademola (ACCORD – Osun), Hon. Adewale Morufu Adebayo (ACCORD – Osun), and Hon. Adetunji Abidemi Olusoji (ACCORD – Osun).

The rest are Hon. Okafor Dominic Ifeanyi (APGA – Anambra), Hon. Onwusibe Ginger Obinna (LP – Abia), Hon. Zubairu Bashir Usman (ADC – Kaduna), Hon. Abdulmaleek A. Danga (PDP – Kogi), Hon. Oluwaseyi Ayopo Sowumi (NDC – Lagos), Hon. Madawaki Dahiru (PDP – Jigawa), Hon. Sani Ibrahim Tanko (APM – Bauchi), Hon. Umar Yusuf Yabo (ADC – Sokoto), Hon. El-Rufai Mohammed Bello (ADC – Kaduna), Hon. Ajilo Umar Shehu (ADC – Kaduna), Hon. Yahaya Suleiman Richifa (ADC – Kaduna), Hon. Gana Joshua Audu (PDP – Niger), Hon. Abel David Fuoh (PDP – Taraba), Hon. Sani Lawal (ADC – Katsina), Hon. Fola Oyekunle (APM – Oyo), Hon. Amobi Ogah (LP – Abia), Hon. Adamu Yakubu (PDP – Jigawa), Hon. Abdullahi El Rasheed (ADC – Gombe), Hon. Engr. Esosa Iyame (NDC – Edo), Hon. Bala Rabiu (PDP – Bauchi) and Hon. Abubakar Baba Zango (ADC – Adamawa).

The submission of the nomination letter to the speaker is in compliance with House Standing Order 7, Rule 7, which provides that members shall elect among themselves the minority leader to lead them.

A lawmaker who spoke on the development on condition of anonymity said the choice of Ugochinyere was made because of his excellent legislative record.

According to him, “Three years out of his four-year term, he sponsored and moved over 40 bills, motions and petitions, in addition to his four years as senior adviser to the Senate President, all of which have established him as a qualified candidate for the job.”

He argued that the power to choose rests with the majority of the minority members, and that power has now been exercised, adding that any sentimental arguments will not change the decision of the minority lawmakers, who have overwhelmingly settled for one of their own.

He expressed confidence that the speaker will accept their nomination and make the announcement so that the minority can have its leadership in the next few days, and the parliament can be fully constituted with the minority fully represented.

The lawmaker also disclosed that they have settled for nominees to fill the vacant positions of Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Leader, with one of the positions already taken by an NDC member from the North West, explaining that after harmonisation, the remaining list will be sent to the Speaker in the next few days for announcement.