Speakership tussle: Chinda, Wike’s ally, leads ‘283 coalition reps’ to work for APC

THE CABLE

A coalition of elected members for the 10th house of representatives says they will respect the zoning decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the speakership position and other principal offices.

In a statement released on Thursday, Usman Kumo, a member of the All Progressives Congress from Gombe; and Kingsley Chinda, a Peoples Democratic Party from Rivers, said the coalition is “committed to presenting a united front that will help the incoming administration of Bola Tinubu”.

Chinda — who is the co-chairperson of the coalition — is an associate of Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state.

Early this month, Wike said the PDP in the state would support any candidate presented by the leadership of the APC for the position of speaker.

He made the promise when Idris Wase, deputy speaker of the house of representatives, led a delegation of lawmakers to visit him at the government house in Port Harcourt.

“The truth must be told that we are going to support the leadership of your party at the national level,” Wike told Wase.

Chinda and Kumo said the coalition christened “joint task – 10th assembly” — comprises 283 members-elect from the APC, PDP, Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Young Progressive Party (YPP).