A heated dispute over the leadership of the opposition caucus in the House of Representatives disrupted plenary on Thursday, as lawmakers clashed over allegations of forgery and attempts to influence the contest for the position of Minority Leader.
The confrontation exposed deepening divisions within the opposition bloc, where competing camps are battling for control of key leadership positions amid ongoing political realignments in the National Assembly.
Trouble began when the lawmaker representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, Philip Agbese, raised a matter of personal privilege, accusing his colleague, Ikenga Ugochinyere, of using his signature without consent on a document purportedly endorsing the Imo lawmaker for the position of Minority Leader.
Agbese told the House that he was shocked to discover a nomination document circulating online bearing his name and signature in support of Ugochinyere’s aspiration.
While acknowledging that he had held discussions with several lawmakers, including Ugochinyere, on matters affecting opposition members and constituency development, Agbese insisted he never signed any document endorsing the lawmaker.
“I feel that my legislative privilege has been breached because this amounts to forgery of my signature for a purpose for which it was not intended,” he said.
The Benue lawmaker called on the House leadership to investigate the matter and stop what he described as efforts to tarnish his reputation.
He also dismissed reports alleging that lawmakers were offered $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,” Agbese stated.
Responding, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen assured the House that the allegations would be examined and urged members not to escalate tensions on the floor.
He disclosed that a closed-door meeting of opposition lawmakers had been scheduled to address the leadership dispute.
The situation, however, took a dramatic turn when Ugochinyere sought permission to respond to the allegations.
The Imo lawmaker firmly denied forging Agbese’s signature, maintaining that the Benue lawmaker personally signed the nomination form in the presence of other lawmakers.
According to Ugochinyere, Agbese voluntarily endorsed his nomination during a meeting attended by several witnesses.
His comments immediately sparked a shouting match, with Agbese repeatedly interrupting and insisting, “I never did that!”
As lawmakers from both camps exchanged words, the chamber became increasingly rowdy, forcing the Speaker to repeatedly call for order.
Despite the tension, Ugochinyere maintained that he enjoyed the backing of the majority of opposition lawmakers.
“I understand that at the moment, 61 out of 81 opposition members have elected me. It may not go down well with some people, but I never expected their desperation to reach this level,” he said.
He described the forgery allegation as false and vowed to present witnesses who were present when the nomination document was allegedly signed.
The Speaker again intervened, urging members to suspend further exchanges and allow the matter to be addressed during the caucus meeting.
Before calm could fully return, another lawmaker raised a point of order, arguing that Ugochinyere’s claim of being elected by opposition lawmakers should not form part of the official House records since no formal decision had been communicated to the chamber.
The lawmaker maintained that only the opposition caucus could officially determine and present its leadership to the House.
The leadership tussle follows recent changes within the opposition ranks, including the defection of former Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda to the All Progressives Congress ahead of his reported governorship ambition in Rivers State.
Ugochinyere’s emergence as a leading contender has been linked to his prominence as one of the most vocal opposition figures in the National Assembly and the shifting political dynamics within opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party.
Sources within the House said the contest has divided opposition lawmakers, with rival groups laying claim to majority support as they seek recognition for their preferred candidates.
Thursday’s dramatic exchange highlighted the intensity of the struggle, with accusations and counter-accusations spilling onto the floor of the House in an unusual public display of internal opposition disagreements.
The outcome of the Speaker’s meeting with opposition lawmakers is expected to shape the future leadership of the minority caucus and determine the direction of opposition politics in the Green Chamber.
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