The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, has officially 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 read Chinda’s defection letter.

According to the Speaker, the letter conveying Chinda’s decision to leave the PDP for the APC was dated April 23, 2026.

The announcement has now formally confirmed weeks of speculation surrounding the political future of the Rivers State lawmaker.

Following the declaration of his defection, Chinda resigned his position as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, thereby creating a vacancy in one of the principal opposition leadership positions in the Green Chamber.

Chinda represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency, the same constituency as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Meanwhile, the lawmaker recently emerged as the APC governorship candidate for the 2027 election after reportedly winning the party’s primary election unopposed in May.

The APC stated that he polled 268,497 votes, following the withdrawal of other aspirants, including the incumbent Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, from the contest.

His emergence has sparked widespread public debate, given that he held the office of Minority Leader, a position traditionally reserved for a member of the largest opposition party in the House of Representatives.