Deputy spokesman of the House of Representatives, Hon. Phillip Agbese, has said he signed a document with Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere for a specific purpose, not endorsing him for the position of House minority leader.
Agbese alleged at plenary on Thursday that his signature was forged on the circulated list of opposition members who have endorsed Ugochinyere as minority leader.
The position of House minority leader became vacant, following the resignation and defection of the former occupant, Hon. Kingsley Chinda,
from the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP to All Progressives Congress(APC) where he emerged as the party’s Rivers state governorship candidate.
Coming under a motion of person privilege on the floor of the House, Agbese denied ever endorsing Ugochinyere, saying the publication on the newspaper, vis-a-vis his signature infringe his privilege as a member of the minority caucus.
The G-60, a group of lawmakers pushing for Ugochinyere’s emergence in a statement jointly signed by Hon. Mukhtar Umar and Hon. Seyi Sowunmi said contrary to claims made by the Deputy Spokesperson of the House, all signatures appended to the nomination document were voluntarily provided by the lawmakers concerned.
However, the Benue lawmaker insisted that his signature was later used for an entirely different and unauthorised purpose intended, saying he did not at any point endorse the Imo lawmaker for minority leadership position.
Agbese in a statement on Friday maintained that the use of his signature for purposes other than what was expressly agreed upon constitutes forgery.
“Sequel to my earlier presentation on the floor of the House of Representatives under Order 6 Rule 2 on Thursday, 4th June, 2026, concerning certain individuals using my signature for unintended purposes and their subsequent shameful attempts to justify such actions, I wish to issue the following clarification.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I signed a document with Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere for a specific purpose. However, my signature was later used for an entirely different and unauthorised purpose — the purported endorsement of Hon. Ugochinyere as Minority Leader of the House. I did not, at any point, endorse him for that position.
“I remain unequivocal: the use of my signature for purposes other than what was expressly agreed upon constitutes forgery. I will continue to sign official documents in the discharge of my legislative duties, but I will never allow my signature to be used for any act that compromises the integrity of this House or borders on criminality. The purported endorsement of Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere is one such unacceptable exception.
“My reasons for this firm position are as follows: The visible desperation exhibited by certain individuals in their attempt to obtain my signature by all means possible.
Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere’s chequered history and controversial past.
“The repeated claim by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere over the years that he possesses enough “weapons” to blackmail even the leadership of the House. Several reports that he bribed members to sign the documents and gave them more kickbacks after the plenary confrontation.
Hon. Ugochinyere is under trial in this matter, not me.
“That said, I remain open and willing to appear before any relevant Committee of the House for a full, transparent, and impartial review of all the facts surrounding this issue. I urge all parties to allow due process and the internal mechanisms of the House to take their proper course in the interest of truth, integrity, and the unity of the Minority Caucus,” he added.
