Just in: Minority leadership tussle disrupts Reps plenary

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..Agbese, Ugochinyere clash over forgery allegation

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By Gift ChapiOdekina, Abuja

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A heated dispute over the leadership of the opposition caucus disrupted proceedings in the House of Representatives on Thursday as lawmakers engaged in a public confrontation over allegations of forgery and attempts to influence the race for the position of Minority Leader.

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The drama unfolded during plenary when the member representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, Hon. Philip Agbese, raised a matter of personal privilege, accusing fellow lawmaker, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, of using his signature without authorisation in a document purportedly nominating him for the office of Minority Leader.

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Agbese told the House that he was shocked to discover a document circulating online bearing his name and signature in support of Ugochinyere’s bid for the opposition leadership position.

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According to him, although he had held discussions with several lawmakers, including Ugochinyere, on issues affecting minority lawmakers and constituency projects, he never endorsed any nomination document.

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“I feel that my legislative privilege has been breached because this amounts to forgery for my signature to be used for purposes for which it was not intended,” Agbese said.

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He urged the House leadership to investigate the matter and stop what he described as attempts by Ugochinyere and his associates to tarnish his reputation.

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The Benue lawmaker also dismissed reports circulating on social media alleging that some lawmakers received $50,000 to support a particular candidate for the minority leadership position.

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“My constituents have been calling me. I have not received any amount of money from anybody and I will not do so. This is my integrity,” he declared.

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Responding, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen acknowledged Agbese’s complaints and assured him that the matter would be addressed. He, however, appealed to lawmakers not to prolong the debate and disclosed that he had convened a closed-door meeting of minority lawmakers later in the day to resolve the leadership dispute.

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“We will take action on the issue you have raised in due course. However, I want to again bring to the attention of all minority members that I am inviting every minority member of this House to a closed-door meeting today by 2 p.m. so that we can discuss further,” Abbas said.

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The situation escalated when Ugochinyere sought the Speaker’s permission to make a personal explanation, insisting that the allegations made against him on the floor and during a live broadcast could not go unanswered.

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The Imo lawmaker denied the forgery allegation, maintaining that Agbese personally signed the nomination form supporting his aspiration for Minority Leader.

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According to him, Agbese voluntarily endorsed the nomination at a meeting attended by several lawmakers who could testify to the development.

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His remarks immediately sparked protests from Agbese, who repeatedly interrupted him, shouting: “I never did that!”

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The exchange soon degenerated into a shouting match as lawmakers from both camps joined the argument, forcing the Speaker to repeatedly call for order while some members attempted to calm the situation.

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Despite the uproar, Ugochinyere insisted that his aspiration enjoyed the backing of the majority of opposition lawmakers.

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“I understand that at the moment, the overwhelming majority of 61 members out of 81 opposition members elected me. It may not go down well with some people, but I never expected that their desperation would get to this level,” he said.

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He described the forgery allegation as “a treacherous lie” and vowed to produce witnesses who were present when the nomination document was signed.

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The Speaker again intervened, urging lawmakers to refrain from further exchanges and allow the matter to be resolved at the scheduled meeting of opposition members.

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Before calm was fully restored, another lawmaker raised a point of order, arguing that Ugochinyere’s claim of being elected by opposition lawmakers should be expunged from the House records since the matter was not formally before the chamber.

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The lawmaker maintained that only the opposition caucus could officially determine and present its leadership to the House, stressing that any declaration made on the floor amounted to a personal opinion.

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The latest confrontation underscores deepening divisions within the opposition caucus as rival camps continue to jostle for key minority leadership positions ahead of an official announcement by the Speaker.

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The outcome of the closed-door meeting is expected to shape the future direction of the opposition bloc in the Green Chamber.

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