The G-60 Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has dismissed allegations of forgery in the nomination of Ikenga Ugochinyere as Minority Leader, insisting that all signatures appended to the document were voluntarily given by lawmakers.
In a statement jointly signed by Mukhtar Umar and Seyi Sowunmi, the caucus described claims of fake signatures as false and misleading.
The group was reacting to comments made during plenary by the Deputy Spokesperson of the House, Philip Agbese, who alleged that his signature was forged on the nomination list.
According to the caucus, 61 out of the 81 members of the Minority Caucus willingly endorsed Ugochinyere’s nomination to fill the vacancy created by the exit of Kingsley Chinda, following his defection to the All Progressives Congress and emergence as the party’s governorship candidate in Rivers State.
The lawmakers maintained that there was no irregularity in the process, stressing that each signature was duly and voluntarily appended.
They further claimed that video evidence exists showing Agbese personally signing the nomination document, calling for the release of CCTV footage to clarify the matter.
“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,” the statement read.
“To establish the facts and dispel any misinformation, video evidence exists showing Hon. Agbese personally signing the nomination document. We therefore urge the relevant authorities to release the CCTV footage in the interest of transparency and accountability.”
The caucus reiterated its commitment to due process and unity among opposition lawmakers, urging the public and the media to disregard claims of forgery and rely on verifiable facts surrounding the nomination.
