Threat to Chinda is A Direct Threat And Affront to Our Democratic Order, PDP Slams Gbajabiamila

  • PDP demands Gbajabiamila retract his statement against Chinda within 24 hours.
  • The house is recognising Elumelu as Minority Leader.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned outburst of anger displayed by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila over the minority leadership tussle bedevilling the party.

Recall that the Speaker adjourned the house on Wednesday after a faction of the party protest the reading of a letter written to him by the opposition party.

Ndudi Elumelu, who has been suspended by the party and Kingsley Chinda had emerged as factional Minority Leaders, with the House recognising the former.

READ: We Won’t Allow You Impose A Minority Leader on Us, PDP Tells Gbajabiamila

When Chinda, who is supported by the PDP made attempts to raise a point of order, the speaker refused to recognise him, claiming that he is not in his allocated seat because he was occupying the seat of the Minority leader.

“I am going to make this point and I am going to make it very clear: there are allocated seats. If you are not seated in your allocated seat, you will not be recognised; number one. Number two, I want to make it again, abundantly clear; I am pleading, do not test the resolve of this House. Do not test the resolve of this House. You will have cause to regret it.”

Reacting, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary in a statement said Nigerians watched with utter shock and dismay as Gbajabiamila, in the open chamber, jettisoned all parliamentary procedure to make hate statement, inciting comment and direct threats to Chinda, for no justifiable reason.

“Hon. Gbajabiamila, in open chamber, exhibited personal hostility, with threats that Hon. Chinda will ‘regret’ taking his rightful seat as the bona fide Leader of the Minority in the House.

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“This vicious outburst by Hon. Gbajabiamila is a direct threat and affront to our democratic order, the rights of the minority members in the House of Representatives, the people of Obio/Akpo Federal Constituency and sensibility of millions of members of the PDP who nominated Hon. Chinda as Minority Leader.

“The PDP, in the strongest terms, condemns this outburst and demands that the Speaker retracts his inciting threats against Hon. Chinda within the next 24 hours.”

The PDP also called on the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to summon Gbajabiamila to explain the intents of his threats.

“Our party further invites Nigerians to hold Hon. Gbajabiamila directly responsible should any harm suddenly comes to Hon. Chinda, any member of his family or any member of the PDP in the House of Representatives.

“It is indeed unfortunate and completely condemnable that Hon. Gbajabiamila is turning the chamber of the House of Representatives into a theatre of avoidable conflicts just because of his vested interest in the affairs of the opposition.”

Ologbondiyan further pointed that the PDP remains committed to rules and the sanctity of the Parliament.

“As such, our party will not allow anybody, let alone, the Speaker of the House of Representatives to undermine our right and deny Nigerians a voice in the House of Representatives.

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