A heated dispute broke out among members of the House of Representatives during Thursday's plenary session over allegations that lawmaker Ikenga Ugochinyere used a forged signature to back his bid for Minority Leader. Philip Agbese, representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, raised a matter of personal privilege, claiming his name and signature appeared on a nomination document for Ugochinyere without his consent. Agbese stated he had discussed legislative matters with Ugochinyere but never signed any endorsement form. He called the act a breach of his legislative privilege and urged the House to investigate.
Agbese also denied receiving $50,000 or any payment to support a candidate, saying, "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." Speaker Abbas Tajudeen acknowledged the complaint and announced a closed-door meeting scheduled for 2 p.m. with all minority members to resolve the leadership crisis. He urged members to avoid escalating the matter on the floor of the House.
Ugochinyere, representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, demanded the right to respond, denying any forgery. He claimed Agbese personally signed the nomination form in the presence of other lawmakers who could verify it. "I understand that at the moment, the overwhelming majority of 61 members out of 81 opposition members elected me," Ugochinyere said, adding that the allegation was a "treacherous lie." He pledged to present witnesses to support his account.
The chamber erupted into loud protests as Agbese repeatedly shouted, "I never did that!" while other members exchanged heated words. The Speaker intervened multiple times to restore order. The leadership contest has split the opposition bloc, with competing factions asserting majority backing ahead of the Speaker's official declaration.
Ikenga Ugochinyere claims 61 of 81 opposition lawmakers elected him Minority Leader, yet the Speaker called a meeting to resolve the crisis, exposing a disconnect between declared support and institutional recognition. Agbese denies signing any nomination form, while Ugochinyere insists he did — one of them is directly contradicting the other under oath. If lawmakers cannot agree on basic facts like a signature, the credibility of any internal election hangs in doubt. The public is left wondering which version the House will officially endorse.
💡 NaijaBuzz Take is AI-assisted editorial opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
