Ikenga and Agbese: G-60 Lawmakers Reject Allegations of Forged Signatures

The G‑60 Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has rejected claims that the signatures supporting Hon Ikenga Ugochinyere’s nomination as Minority Leader were forged, asserting that all endorsements were voluntarily signed by lawmakers.

The caucus issued a statement on Thursday, signed by its Chairman, Hon Mukhtar Umar, and Secretary, Hon Seyi Sowunmi.

The clarification follows accusations from Deputy House Spokesperson Hon Philip Agbese, who said during a plenary session that his signature on the nomination document had been forged.

According to the group, 61 of the 81 Minority Caucus members willingly endorsed Ugochinyere to fill the vacancy left by former Minority Leader Hon Kingsley Chinda, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and later became the party’s governorship candidate in Rivers State.

The lawmakers described Agbese’s allegation as false and misleading, stating that he personally participated in the process that gathered signatures for Ugochinyere.

They also claimed to possess video evidence of Agbese signing the nomination document and said the footage would be released to promote transparency and accountability.

“Contrary to claims made by Hon Philip Agbese at plenary, all signatures appended to the nomination document were voluntarily provided by the lawmakers concerned,” the statement read. “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.”

The caucus urged the public and media to disregard forgery allegations, emphasizing that the nomination process was transparent, democratic, and supported by verifiable evidence.

It also warned against attempts to discredit what it described as a legitimate process, reaffirming its commitment to due process, unity, and the collective interest of opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives.