By Oluwakemi Kindness
The G-60 Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has dismissed allegations of forgery in the nomination of Ikenga Ugochinyere for the position of Minority Leader.
They are also insisting that all signatures appended to the nomination were obtained voluntarily.
In a statement on Thursday, the lawmakers said 61 out of 81 minority members signed in support of Ugochinyere’s nomination, stressing that the process was transparent and followed due procedure.
The caucus was reacting to claims raised by the Deputy Spokesperson of the House, Hon. Philip Agbese, who alleged during plenary that his signature was forged on the endorsement list.
The lawmakers rejected the allegation, describing it as false and misleading.
According to the statement signed by Mukhtar Umar and Seyi Sowunmi, evidence, including CCTV footage, shows Agbese personally signing the nomination document.
“To establish the facts and dispel misinformation, video evidence exists showing Hon. Agbese personally signing the nomination document,” the statement said.
The caucus explained that the nomination followed the vacancy created after the exit of Hon. Kingsley Chinda, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and later emerged as the party’s governorship candidate in Rivers State.
They maintained that the process was guided by due process and collective agreement among opposition lawmakers in the House.
“We remain committed to due process, unity, and the collective interest of opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives,” the statement added.
The lawmakers urged the public and media to disregard claims of forgery, insisting that the nomination process was legitimate and verifiable.
They also cautioned against what they described as attempts to discredit a democratic process through unfounded allegations.
