By Christiana Ekpa
The House of Representatives was thrown into a rowdy session on Thursday following allegations that some minority lawmakers received $50,000 each to endorse the emergence of Rep. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere as the proposed Minority Leader of the House.
The controversy erupted during plenary when Rep. Philip Agbese raised a point of order, demanding that his name be removed from reports alleging that lawmakers collected money to support Ugochinyere’s bid for the minority leadership position.
Agbese insisted that the allegation was serious and should be investigated to protect the integrity of the House and the lawmakers involved.
The matter gained further traction as three lawmakers supported Agbese’s position, calling for Ugochinyere to be referred to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges for investigation over the claims.
However, the move was resisted by Ugochinyere and some of his supporters, leading to heated exchanges on the floor of the chamber.
In a dramatic turn, Ugochinyere and his supporters insisted that he should be allowed to defend himself, insisting that he must be given an opportunity to respond to the allegations.
His action sparked a sharp division among lawmakers, with some members backing his demand to speak, while others supported Agbese’s call for a formal investigation.
The disagreement disrupted proceedings as lawmakers engaged in shouting matches across the aisle, forcing the leadership of the House to intervene and restore order.
Despite calls for an immediate referral to the Ethics and Privileges Committee, the Speaker Abbas maintained that the matter would be appropriately investigated in line with the rules of the House.
The development comes amid an ongoing contest over the minority leadership structure in the House.
Ugochinyere had earlier issued a statement claiming that 61 out of the 81 minority lawmakers had endorsed him as Minority Leader-designate and formally submitted his nomination to Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, for announcement.
The latest dispute is expected to further deepen tensions within the opposition caucus as consultations continue over the leadership of the minority bloc in the 10th House of Representatives.
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