CSO wants DSS to investigate money claims in Reps minority leadership race

A civil society group, the Centre for Legislative Accountability and Democratic Integrity (CLADI), has asked the Department of State Services (DSS) to look into claims of financial inducement in the race for the Minority Leader position in the House of Representatives. This follows the rise of Imo lawmaker, Ikenga Ugochinyere, as the preferred candidate among some opposition lawmakers.

The request, dated June 5, 2026, was signed by CLADI’s National President, Usman Abdullahi, and National Secretary, Chika Nwafor.

Titled, "Request for immediate investigation into alleged financial inducement of members of the House of Representatives in the contest for minority leadership position," the petition comes after recent events within the opposition caucus of the House. This happened after Kingsley Chinda, the former Minority Leader, resigned.

Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato North/South Federal Constituency in Imo State, recently became the choice of many opposition lawmakers for the minority leadership. This situation has sparked political interest both inside and outside the National Assembly.

On Thursday, House Deputy Spokesman, Philip Agbese, claimed in the Green Chamber that someone forged his signature. He said he never endorsed Ugochinyere and denied taking any money to support any lawmaker to take over from Chinda.

In its petition, CLADI asked the DSS to investigate reports about the endorsement process. They want to find out if lawmakers were influenced by money to support certain candidates.

"The National Assembly holds a special place in our democracy. Any claim that leaders are chosen through financial inducement instead of democratic agreement is a serious blow to the integrity of the legislature and must be thoroughly investigated," the organisation stated in its petition.

The group believes an independent inquiry is necessary to boost public trust in the legislature. They want to ensure that the process of selecting parliamentary leaders is transparent.

"We must bring this issue to your attention due to widespread claims that large amounts of foreign currency were offered to lawmakers to get their signatures and support. While these are still allegations, their seriousness calls for urgent and fair investigation," the petition added.

According to CLADI, Nigerians should be assured that decisions affecting democratic institutions are made through the proper processes and the will of the elected representatives, not by financial influence.

"The question for the nation is clear: were these endorsements based on genuine agreement, or were they bought with money? The answer is vital for public trust in the legislative institution," the petition read.

The organisation urged the DSS to review all relevant information that could help clarify the allegations and take necessary action based on what they find.

"No one should be allowed to damage the credibility of the House of Representatives. If public officers took money to influence who becomes parliamentary leaders, that is a betrayal of the electorate and goes against democratic values," the group added.

CLADI warned that ignoring these concerns could increase public doubt about the integrity of democratic institutions and the legislative process.

The Minority Leader is the top opposition lawmaker in the House. This role involves coordinating opposition positions on laws, checking government policies, and offering different views during debates.

As a result, races for this position often get a lot of political attention, especially when they involve several opposition parties in the chamber.

So far, no evidence has been publicly shown to back up the claims of financial inducement, which are still just claims in the petition.