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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
A group of 60 opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives said that no signature had been forged in the document nominating Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere as minority leader of the House.
The lawmakers, in a statement jointly signed by Mukhtar Umar and Seyi Sowunmi, faulted claims by the deputy spokesman of the House, Philip Agbese, that his signature was allegedly forged in the nomination document.
The opposition lawmakers, who released a closed-circuit television (CCTV) video showing Agbese signing some documents in Ugochinyere’s office, said all 61 members who signed the nomination did so willingly.
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According to them, “Contrary to claims made by the Deputy Spokesperson of the House, Hon. Philip Agbese at the plenary today, all signatures appended to the nomination document were voluntarily provided by the lawmakers concerned.
” Out of the 81 members that constitute the Minority Caucus, 61 lawmakers willingly signed in support of Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere’s nomination to fill the vacancy created by the exit of Hon. Kingsley Chinda following his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his subsequent emergence as the party’s governorship candidate in Rivers State.
“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 Hon. Agbese personally signing the nomination document, and it will be sent out with this statement in the interest of transparency and accountability.
“We remain committed to due process, unity, and the collective interest of opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives. Attempts to discredit a transparent and democratic process through unfounded allegations should be discouraged. We urge members of the public and the media to disregard claims of forgery and rely on verifiable facts regarding the nomination process.”
