Bayelsa lawmaker Frederick Agbedi took over as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives on Thursday, June 11, 2026.
Agbedi, who represents Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency, replaces Kingsley Chinda of Rivers State. Chinda resigned after defecting from the PDP to the APC, leaving the opposition caucus without a leader.
The minority caucus sent a consensus nomination letter to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas during plenary. Abbas read it out and confirmed three new principal officers: Agbedi as Minority Leader, Mansur Soro of APM as Minority Whip, and Abdussamad Dasuki of ADC as Deputy Minority Leader.
Abbas congratulated the trio and said House leadership would work with them to meet the 10th Assembly’s legislative goals.
Agbedi has been in the House since 2011, making him one of its longest-serving members. His appointment comes as defections and rule changes have shaken opposition ranks ahead of 2027. The new rules also forced Imo Rep Ikenga Ugochinyere to withdraw from the minority leader race last week.
Political watchers say the new team’s first task is uniting opposition lawmakers from different parties and providing strong scrutiny of the APC-led executive. For the PDP, which remains the largest opposition party despite losses, Agbedi’s pick is a move to keep the minority caucus cohesive.
