The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The development was announced on Tuesday during plenary when the Speaker of the House of Representatives read Chinda’s defection letter to lawmakers.
According to the Speaker, the letter informing the House of Chinda’s decision to leave the PDP for the APC was dated April 23, 2026.
The announcement officially confirmed weeks of speculation about the political future of the Rivers State lawmaker.
Following the announcement of his defection, Chinda resigned from his position as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
His resignation has created a vacancy in one of the key opposition leadership positions in the Green Chamber.
Chinda, who represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, the same constituency as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, recently emerged as the APC governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
He secured the party’s ticket after winning the APC governorship primary unopposed in May.
The APC said Chinda polled 268,497 votes after other aspirants, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, withdrew from the contest.
His emergence as the APC governorship candidate generated public debate because he was still serving as Minority Leader, a position traditionally occupied by a member of the largest opposition party in the House of Representatives.
