Dispute over signatures: Minority Reps show video to clear forgery claims

Minority members in the House of Representatives have denied claims that signatures were forged in the nomination of Ikenga Ugochinyere for minority leader. They insisted that all signatories gave their support freely.

The lawmakers, part of the G-60 Minority Caucus, made this clear in a statement signed by Mukhtar Umar (NDC, Kano) and Seyi Sowunmi (NDC, Lagos) on Thursday. This came after a tense moment in the House over the authenticity of an endorsement document backing Mr Ugochinyere.

The statement responded to claims by the deputy House spokesperson, Philip Agbese (APC, Benue). During the plenary, he said his signature had been forged on a document that supposedly showed support for Mr Ugochinyere’s rise as minority leader.

But the caucus called the allegation false and misleading. "We wish to categorically state that there was no forgery or fake signature in the nomination of Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere for the position of Minority Leader," the statement said.

The MPs mentioned that 61 out of the 81 members of the Minority Caucus signed the nomination document voluntarily. They said the endorsement aimed to fill the vacancy left by former Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda, who recently joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and is now their governorship candidate in Rivers State.

The members also shared that video evidence exists showing Mr Agbese signing the nomination document. "We note with concern the allegation by Hon. Philip Agbese that his signature was forged on the endorsement list. This claim is false and misleading.

"To establish the facts and dispel any misinformation, video evidence exists showing Honourable Agbese personally signing the nomination document and it will be sent out with this statement in the interest of transparency and accountability."

They urged the public and media to disregard the forgery claims and focus on what they described as verifiable evidence surrounding the nomination process.

Tension During Plenary

The issue came up during Thursday’s plenary when Mr Agbese raised a point of privilege to separate himself from the endorsement document. Earlier, documents shared with journalists showed that 61 opposition lawmakers had endorsed Mr Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, for the minority leadership.

In reaction, Mr Agbese denied backing the nomination and claimed that his signature was fraudulently added. He noted that while he had talked with several opposition members, including Mr Ugochinyere, those discussions were not about the minority leader position.

"I had conversed, deliberated and visited many members of this House. One of the people I had such discussions with was my colleague, Honourable Ikenga Ugochinyere.

"Our discussion was basically centred on the welfare of members of the minority. Number two was on the issue of the executive not adhering to issues concerning our constituency projects," he explained.

Mr Agbese also questioned how Mr Sowunmi, one of the signatories to the endorsement document, got his signature and asked the House to investigate.

The Benue lawmaker further insisted that nobody should use his signature for anything related to the nomination.

Ugochinyere Responds to Allegations

Mr Ugochinyere quickly rejected the forgery claim. He stated that Mr Agbese willingly endorsed his nomination. The Imo lawmaker told the House that Mr Agbese visited him and signed the document in front of witnesses.

He argued that the claim was an attempt to discredit a legitimate process by opposition MPs seeking leadership change within the minority caucus. The conflicting statements led to heated arguments among members from both sides, with many members speaking at the same time.

This situation briefly disrupted proceedings as lawmakers exchanged accusations and counter-accusations over the authenticity of the endorsement list and the leadership contest.

Meeting with the Speaker

After the tense exchanges, lawmakers agreed to meet with the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, to resolve the dispute and avoid further divisions within the minority caucus. The details of the meeting were not available at the time this report was filed.