Chaos in Parliament: Forgery Allegations Rock Reps' Minority Leadership
A contentious session erupted in the House of Representatives over the alleged forgery of Hon. Philip Agbese's signature on a list endorsing Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere as minority leader. Agbese denied the endorsement and any financial inducement, while Ugochinyere insisted the signature was genuine. The dispute led to a rowdy debate, prompting the Speaker to call for a Minority Caucus meeting to resolve the matter.
The House of Representatives experienced a chaotic session following allegations of signature forgery and financial inducement related to the nomination of Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere as the minority leader. The position became vacant after Hon. Kingsley Chinda's resignation and defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Hon. Philip Agbese (LP, Benue), the deputy spokesperson, raised a motion of personal privilege, vehemently denying that his signature appeared on a circulated list of 61 opposition members reportedly endorsing Ugochinyere. Agbese asserted that his signature was forged for purposes he never intended, infringing upon his legislative privilege as a member of the Minority Caucus.
Agbese further stated that while he had discussions with Ugochinyere regarding the welfare of minority members and issues concerning constituency projects, he never endorsed Ugochinyere for the leadership role. He specifically mentioned not having seen Honourable Seyi, whose name appeared on the document, since December, expressing confusion and alleging forgery. Furthermore, Agbese refuted claims of financial inducement, stating he had not received any money from anybody and wished to protect his integrity and name from being maligned. He committed to tendering the alleged forged list and the link to the online report for a full House investigation.
In response, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen acknowledged Agbese's motion and assured that the House would take appropriate action in due course. However, Ugochinyere promptly countered Agbese's claims through a motion of personal explanation. He clarified to the House that Agbese was absent from the meeting where his selection as Minority Leader was made by an overwhelming majority of the caucus. Ugochinyere maintained that Agbese subsequently visited his office to append his signature to the endorsement document. He firmly denied any forgery and offered to provide supporting evidence and witnesses to validate his position.
The session escalated into a shouting match when Agbese interrupted Ugochinyere, reaffirming his denial of signing any document. Amidst the pandemonium and after considerable effort by the Speaker to restore order, Speaker Tajudeen announced that a Minority Caucus meeting was scheduled for 2 p.m. to address all disagreements. Despite this, other lawmakers voiced their concerns. Hon. Solomon Bob (APC, Rivers) cited House Rule 7(15), arguing that Ugochinyere, having only served barely three years, lacked the experience required for a principal officer, especially when more experienced opposition members were available. Another lawmaker, Hon. Dagomie Abiante (APC, Rivers), proposed that Ugochinyere's contributions on the matter should be disregarded and removed from the House records. Speaker Abbas concluded that all further contributions on the contentious issue would be discussed during the Minority Caucus meeting before proceeding with the day's agenda.