Chaos erupted in the House of Representatives on Thursday during a heated session. Deputy Spokesperson Philip Agbese alleged that his signature had been forged on a document.
According to Agbese, the fake document listed him as endorsing Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere for Minority Leader. Ugochinyere, a member of the Action People's Party, was reportedly nominated by 61 opposition lawmakers.
An online news outlet, Aljazirah, had published a report claiming each of the 61 members received $50,000. The allegations sparked uproar among lawmakers on the floor.
Agbese rose under a motion of personal privilege to set the record straight. He flatly denied ever backing Ugochinyere for the position.
"Yesterday I saw a document on the internet with my name reportedly nominating a member of this House for the post of minority leader," he told the chamber. He insisted the publication violated his rights as a legislator.
He said he'd spoken with several colleagues about welfare issues affecting minority members. Ugochinyere was one of those he'd discussed concerns with.
"Our discussion was basically centred on the welfare of members of the minority," Agbese noted. He also mentioned conversations about constituency projects being neglected by the executive.
But here's what angered him most: someone else had apparently signed his name. "The person who signed this document, Honourable Seyi, I have not seen him since December 2025," he said.
Agbese denied receiving any cash payments whatsoever. He stressed that constituents had been calling him about the money allegations.
"I have not received any amount of money from anybody," he declared firmly. "This is my integrity I am talking about.
I never signed any document and I never received any amount of money and I will never do."
He expressed frustration that this wasn't the first time his name had been dragged into controversy. He wanted the House to protect his legislative privileges.
Agbese promised to submit the suspicious list to lawmakers for investigation. He also offered to provide a link to the online report for their review.
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen acknowledged the motion and said the House would act appropriately. He didn't offer specifics on timing or next steps.
Minutes after the Speaker's ruling, Ugochinyere stood to respond. He invoked his own motion of personal explanation to address Agbese's charges directly.
According to Ugochinyere, Agbese simply wasn't present at the selection meeting. He told the House that an overwhelming majority of caucus members had chosen him as leader.
