Chidi Odinkalu, the former head of the National Human Rights Commission, has strongly criticized the recent defection of House of Representatives Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda from the PDP to the APC. In a scathing post on X, Odinkalu labeled the move as ‘organized crime,’ asserting that no judicial ruling could ever legitimize the circumstances surrounding Chinda’s party switch.
Odinkalu’s statement comes in the wake of House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas’s announcement during Tuesday’s plenary that Chinda had officially left the PDP to join the APC. The letter detailing the defection was dated April 23, 2026, raising eyebrows about its backdating. Notably, Chinda had already been selected as the APC governorship candidate for Rivers State in the lead-up to the 2027 elections, all while still serving as the Minority Leader representing the PDP.
Odinkalu suggested that there might be attempts to use the courts to make the defection appear legitimate, but he dismissed such efforts as ‘court washing.’ He emphasized that no amount of legal maneuvering could cleanse what he sees as a fundamentally unethical act. ‘This is organized crime. Period!’ he wrote, underscoring his belief that the process was inherently flawed.
Following the announcement, Chinda resigned his position as Minority Leader. The House of Representatives is now expected to elect a new Minority Leader to fill the vacancy. Meanwhile, Chinda is facing a lawsuit alleging that his defection did not follow proper procedures.