Eighty members of the House of Representatives on Thursday joined Minority Leader Godwin Ndudi Elumelu and his group in solidarity as they appeared before a probe panel constituted by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Elumelu and six others were recently suspended for one month by the leadership of the PDP for flouting the party’s in choosing candidates for House minority positions.

Suspended alongside Eleumelu are: Lynda Ikpeazu, Wole Oke, Anayo Edwin, Gideon Gwadi, Toby Okechukwu and Adesegun Adekoya.

It was a mini-road show as the Reps moved in a convoy of three coaster buses and 17 cars to the Abuja home of the chairman of the probe panel, Dr Iyiorchia Ayu, where the panel sat.

In a brief remark before the committee went into a closed-door session with the lawmakers, Dr Ayu said: “Elders of the party are meeting and this is a family affair. This committee will take a decision in the best interest of the party.”

One of the House members who accompanied Elumelu and his group told reporters that the decision to make Eleumelu the Minority Leader was collectively taken by an overwhelming majority of PDP members in the House.

The lawmaker, who did not want his name in print, said: “This issue is not about Elumelu alone but about all of us. So, we are here to show our support for all of us, believing that at the end of the day, the party would be stronger.”

Other members of the BoT panel included Senator David Mark, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Senator Ibrahim Mantu and a former Deputy Speaker Austin Opara.

The PDP leadership had nominated Kingsley Chinda, as Minority Leader; Chukwuka Onyema, Deputy Minority Leader; Yakubu Barde, Minority Whip and Muraina Ajibola as Deputy Minority Whip.

Those that eventually emerged against the party’s directive are: Elumelu, Minority Leader; Toby Okechukwu Deputy Minority Leader; Gideon Gwani, Minority Whip and Adesegun Adekoya Deputy Minority Whip.

The Ayu panel will submit its report to the leadership of the BoT within one week.

Source:- Thenationonlineng