Lawmakers clash in rowdy Reps session over minority leader forgery allegations

A fierce battle for the leadership of the opposition caucus in the House of Representatives erupted into a dramatic confrontation on Thursday, as lawmakers engaged in a heated exchange over allegations of forgery, blackmail and attempts to influence the race for the position of Minority Leader. The rowdy session underscored growing divisions within the opposition bloc, where rival camps are locked in a struggle for control of key leadership positions following recent realignments among opposition lawmakers. The drama began during plenary when the member representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, Mr Philip Agbese, raised a matter of personal privilege, accusing fellow lawmaker and member representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere, of using his signature without authorisation in a document purportedly nominating him for the office of Minority Leader. Agbese told the House he was stunned to discover a nomination document circulating online bearing his name and signature in support of Ugochinyere’s aspiration. According to him, although he had engaged in discussions with several lawmakers, including Ugochinyere, on issues affecting minority lawmakers and constituency projects, he never signed any document endorsing the Imo lawmaker. “I feel that my legislative privilege has been breached because this amounts to forgery of my signature to be used for purposes for which it was not intended,” Agbese said. He urged the House leadership to investigate the matter and halt what he described as sustained attempts by Ugochinyere and his associates to damage his reputation. The Benue lawmaker also rejected reports circulating on social media alleging that some lawmakers received $50,000 to support a candidate in the minority leadership contest. “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. Responding, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen acknowledged the complaint and assured Agbese that the allegations would be examined. The Speaker, however, appealed to members not to prolong the dispute on the floor, revealing that he had convened a closed-door meeting of minority lawmakers for later in the day to address the leadership crisis. “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.