The controversy surrounding the leadership of the minority caucus in the House of Representatives took a fresh turn late Thursday as the G-60 Minority Lawmakers dismissed allegations that signatures on the nomination document of Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere as Minority Leader were forged. The lawmakers also claimed to possess CCTV footage showing Deputy House Spokesperson, Hon. Philip Agbese, personally signing the nomination document, contrary to his allegation that his signature was forged.
The development comes hours after a rowdy session in the House of Representatives during which Agbese alleged that his signature was fraudulently appended to a list submitted in support of Ugochinyere's nomination for the minority leadership position.
Reacting in a statement jointly signed by Hon. Mukhtar Umar and Hon. Seyi Sowunmi, the G-60 lawmakers described Agbese's allegation as false and misleading. The group insisted that every signature on the nomination document was voluntarily provided by the lawmakers whose names appeared on the list.
According to the statement, 61 out of the 81 members of the Minority Caucus endorsed Ugochinyere's nomination to fill the vacancy created by the exit of former Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, following his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and subsequent emergence as the party's governorship candidate in Rivers State.
The lawmakers said there was no basis for allegations of forgery, maintaining that the endorsement process was transparent and reflected the wishes of the majority of opposition lawmakers in the House.
"We wish to categorically state that there was no forgery or fake signature in the nomination of Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere of the Action People's Party (APP) for the position of Minority Leader," the statement read. "Contrary to claims made by the Deputy Spokesperson of the House, Hon. Philip Agbese, all signatures appended to the nomination document were voluntarily provided by the lawmakers concerned."
The caucus further disclosed that video evidence exists showing Agbese personally signing the nomination document and vowed to release the footage in the interest of transparency and accountability.
"We note with concern the allegation by Hon. Philip Agbese that his signature was forged on the endorsement list. This claim is false and misleading. To establish the facts and dispel any misinformation, video evidence exists showing Hon. Agbese personally signing the nomination document and it will be sent out with this statement in the interest of transparency and accountability," the lawmakers stated.
The group said it remained committed to due process, unity and the collective interests of opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives, warning against attempts to undermine what it described as a democratic process through unsubstantiated allegations.
The lawmakers urged members of the public and the media to disregard claims of forgery and instead rely on verifiable facts regarding the nomination process.
The dispute over the minority leadership has heightened tensions within the opposition caucus, with rival groups laying claim to the authority to nominate leaders for key positions in the House. Thursday's exchange between Agbese and supporters of Ugochinyere marks the latest chapter in the growing battle for control of the minority caucus, a contest that is expected to generate further debate in the coming days as stakeholders continue to push competing positions.
