Sh*ck Defection: House Minority Leader Chinda Dumps PDP For APC

The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, has formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking a major political realignment in the Green Chamber.

According to Ireporter Online, the defection was made public on Tuesday after the Speaker of the House of Representatives read Chinda’s official letter during plenary. The letter, dated April 23, 2026, confirmed his decision to leave the PDP and join the ruling APC, putting an end to weeks of speculation over his political future.

Following the announcement, Chinda immediately stepped down from his position as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, creating a leadership vacuum within the opposition bloc in the House.

Chinda, who represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in Rivers State, is from the same constituency as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. His political trajectory recently took another turn when he emerged as the APC governorship candidate for the 2027 elections after securing an unopposed victory in the party’s primary held in May.

Reports indicate that he polled 268,497 votes after several aspirants, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, withdrew from the race. His emergence has continued to generate public debate, particularly given his former role as Minority Leader, a position traditionally held by a member of the principal opposition party in the House.