The house of representatives was thrown into a rowdy session on Thursday after Philip Agbese, lawmaker representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency, denied endorsing Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere for the position of minority leader.
Agbese raised a point of privilege during plenary, alleging that his signature was forged on a document nominating Ugochinyere for the position.
Some lawmakers nominated Ugochiyere for the minority leader position to succeed Kingsley Chinda, lawmaker representing Obio/Akpor federal constituency, who vacated the role after emerging as the APC governorship candidate for Rivers state.
“My attention was drawn to a document on the internet with my name, reportedly nominating a member of this house for the post of minority leader,” Agbese said.
“Mr speaker, I will recall that before this time, in line with our fraternal relationship in this house, I conversed, deliberated, and visited many members of this house. One of the persons I had such discussions with was my colleague, honourable Ikenga Ugochinyere.
“Our discussion was basically centred on the welfare of members of the minority and the issue of the executive not adhering to certain issues on our constituency projects.
“So I am at a loss, and I feel that my legislative privilege has been breached because this amounts to forgery for my signature to be used for purposes that were not intended.”
Agbese, a member of the Labour Party (LP), asked the house to investigate and stop any further use of his signature for this “kind of purpose”.
“Mr speaker, I also want to pray this honourable house to stop honourable Ikenga and members of his team or his agents or anybody acting on his behalf, from further maligning my name,” he said.
He alleged that reports are circulating on social media that lawmakers received $50,000 to endorse Ugochingere for the position.
Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, said appropriate action would be taken in due course, urging members to refrain from further debate on the matter.
He added that he would meet with opposition lawmakers at 2pm today.
“I don’t want us to debate this matter on the floor further. It is something within the family to discuss and make a decision appropriately,” he said.
Dissatisfied with Abbas’ ruling, Billy Osawaru, lawmaker representing Orhionmwon/Uhunmwode federal constituency, called on the speaker to refer the matter to the committee on ethics and privileges.
“The matter is a criminal and very sensitive issue,” he said.
Again, Abbas urged lawmakers to refrain from further debate, but his appeal was met with chants of dissent from some members of the chamber.
Ugochinyere subsequently rose to counter Agbese’s allegation, describing it as an “outrageous lie”.
He said Agbese was present at the meeting where lawmakers endorsed him and voluntarily signed the document.
“Honourable Agbese attended the meeting and independently appended his signature to my nomination for the office of minority leader,” he said.
Ugochinyere argued that Agbese’s claim was an attempt to defame and blackmail him, adding that he was prepared to present the names of lawmakers who witnessed Agbese sign and endorse his nomination.
Agbese countered Ugochinyere’s claim, insisting that he neither attended the meeting nor signed the nomination document.
His response sparked fresh uproar in the chamber, and took Abbas more than 15 minutes to restore decorum.
After decorum was restored, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, a lawmaker from Rivers state, warned against treating Ugochinyere’s remarks as official house business, arguing that discussions over the minority leader position remained speculative until the opposition caucus formally submitted its nominee.
“I want it placed on record that all comments regarding the election of a minority leader should be expunged from the records of the house because the matter is not before us,” Abiante said.
“The minority caucus will formally present its leader to the House at the appropriate time. Until then, whatever has been said remains a personal opinion.”.
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