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…Agbese denies endorsing Ugochinyere, demand Probe

By Gloria Ikibah

Tempers flared in the House of Representatives on Thursday as allegations of forgery and claims that some lawmakers received $50,000 each to support the emergence of Rep. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere as Minority Leader plunged plenary into a chaotic and heated session.

The controversy erupted amid an ongoing battle over the leadership of the minority caucus following the resignation of former Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, whose resignation letter, effective April 23, 2026, was read by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen during Wednesday’s plenary.

The leadership contest has generated intense interest within the opposition bloc. Matters escalated after a list surfaced on Wednesday bearing the names and signatures of 61 out of the 81 minority lawmakers, purportedly endorsing Ugochinyere for the position.

However, the process came under scrutiny on Thursday when Rep. Philip Agbese, representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, raised a matter of personal privilege and alleged that his signature had been forged.

Agbese also referenced reports circulating online alleging that lawmakers who endorsed Ugochinyere were paid $50,000 each, insisting he neither signed the nomination document nor received any money.

He said: “The full dignity and honor of this parliament as a member representing my federal constituency. Mr. Speaker, yesterday at about 6 p.m. my attention was drawn to a document on the internet with my name purportedly nominating a member of this house for the post of minority leader. Mr. Speaker, I recall that before this time in line with our fraternal relationship in this house I had conversed, deliberated and visited many members of this house.

“One of the persons I had such discussions with was my colleague Honorable Ikega Ugochinye. Our discussion was basically centered on the welfare of members of the minority. Number two was on the issue of the executive not adhering to certain issues on our constituency projects.

“The person who signed this document, I have not seen him since December 2025. So I’m at a loss and I feel that my legislative privilege has been breached because this amount to forgery for my signature to be used for purposes which not intended for. Mr. Speaker, I want to seek the leave of this house to probe and investigate and to stop further any use of my signature going further for any of this kind of purpose.

“Mr. Speaker, I also want to pray this Honorable House to stop Honorable Ikega and members of his team or his agents or anybody acting on his behalf from further maligning my name because I recall that in the past this morning I saw on a social media blog that members have received certain amount of money. I have not received any amount of money from anybody. I intend to tender this before the house and to further tender the news link where it was reported that I or other members whose names appear here have collected a sum of 50,000 Naira from any individual.

“I have not received any amount of money from anybody and I will not do so. This is my integrity. Mr. Speaker, this is my prayer before the house.

“I read 50,000 dollars. I will share the screen. I will share it with this house.

“My constituents have been calling me to know and this is not the first time my name is being mentioned in an issue like this so I don’t want to be involved and I don’t want my name to be further maligned as far as this is concerned because I have a right as a member of this house for my privileges to be fully protected and not to be destroyed by any member of this house”.

His remarks immediately heightened tensions in the chamber, with at least three lawmakers backing his call for an investigation and proposing that Ugochinyere be referred to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges.

The proposal, however, met stiff resistance from Ugochinyere and his supporters, who insisted that he be given an opportunity to respond to the allegations before any action was taken.

As lawmakers traded arguments across the floor, the chamber descended into a shouting match, forcing the House leadership to intervene.

When eventually recognised to speak under personal explanation, Ugochinyere firmly denied the allegations and maintained that Agbese had voluntarily endorsed his nomination.

He said: “By the indulgence of the house and the leave of the distinguished speaker, a member may make a personal explanation. Mr. Speaker, if you permit, my colleague Abese made some weighty allegations before every member here, and today we are on live transmission. Even though you have said you will intervene, it is also important that what he said on live TV needs to also be cleared.

“Mr. Speaker, my brother arrived from Benue late for our meeting, met me in the office, in the presence of some of my colleagues that I will bring forward, and voluntarily, on his own and independently, pledged and signed my nomination for the post of Minority Leader.

“In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, do I have your protection to proceed? Thank you Mr. Speaker, so Mr. Speaker, I subject to your fatherly decision that the matter, but it was important that such a treacherous lie and attempt to defame and blackmail should be vehemently refuted. Our colleagues who were there when he signed will be brought forward before you Mr. Speaker.

“I understand that at the moment, the overwhelming majority of 61 members out of 81 opposition members elected me. It may not go down well with some people, but I never expected that their desperation would get to this level. And also important Mr. Speaker, that those who are now more interested are those who are not even members of the minority.

“But I subject to your decision to rule on this matter as a father, but I must apply that people in seeking alternative options must apply decorum and abide by what is decent because this is outrageous and unacceptable”.

No sooner had Ugochinyere made the claim than Agbese rose in protest.

“No! I never did that! I never did that! No! Mr. Speaker, I never did that! No! I never did that! I never did that!” he shouted across the chamber.

Seeking to calm the situation, Rep. Awaji-Inombek Abiante argued that discussions relating to the election of a Minority Leader were premature and should not form part of the official records of the House.

He said: “I appreciate your efforts at enhancing peace amongst us and taking us to a preferred and probably more horrible destination, I want to put it on record that whatever has been said relative to electing a minority leader should be expunged from the records of this house because it is not before us.

“It is not before you. It should be expunged. We didn’t hear, we didn’t hear that from him.

“Members of the minority will come before all of us and we will know who the leader would be. So whatever he has said is just his personal opinion and it should never be anywhere in the records of this house”.

With the atmosphere becoming increasingly charged, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen stepped in and announced a closed-door meeting with all minority lawmakers in a bid to resolve the crisis.

“Your observations and complaints are duly noted. We will take action on the issue you have raised in due course. However, I want to again bring to the attention of all minorities that I’m inviting every minority member of this house to a closed door meeting today two o’clock so that we can discuss further.

“I don’t want us to further debate on this matter on the floor. It’s something within the family for us to discuss and take decision appropriately. So yours is noted and we’ll take action in due course.

“Please, honorable colleagues, let us not overheat this issue. We already have a meeting for 2 o’clock. Let us leave everything there”, Abbas said.

The latest confrontation follows Ugochinyere’s announcement that 61 of the 81 minority lawmakers had endorsed him as Minority Leader-designate and submitted his nomination to Speaker Abbas Tajudeen for formal recognition.

With the opposition caucus yet to reach a consensus on its leadership structure, Thursday’s dramatic exchanges have exposed deep divisions within the minority bloc and set the stage for an intense political battle in the days ahead.

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Members of the Oyo State House of Assembly have rejected calls for the state government to negotiate with kidnappers over the rescue of pupils and teachers abducted in Ogbomoso.

The lawmakers said the focus should be on intensified rescue operations, intelligence-led security action and sustained pressure on the abductors until the victims are freed.

Speaking during plenary on Wednesday, the Speaker of the Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, warned that negotiating with kidnappers could encourage further attacks and strengthen criminal networks.

He said although the families of the victims were going through painful moments, residents should continue to support the efforts of security agencies and the state government.

According to him, engaging armed groups could send the wrong signal and worsen the security situation.

The lawmakers’ position followed the May 15 attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, where suspected bandits abducted about 39 pupils and seven teachers.

The crisis deepened after one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was killed by the abductors.

In a recent video, Rachael Alamu, principal of Community High School, Esiele, who is among the abductees, pleaded for urgent intervention after the kidnappers reportedly threatened to kill another victim.

The House urged the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board to immediately assess schools located near forests and border communities.

The lawmakers called for solar-powered lighting, perimeter fencing, surveillance cameras and a comprehensive emergency response framework for high-risk schools.

The Assembly also mandated its Committee on Security and Strategy to visit Oriire Local Government Area for an on-the-spot assessment and recommend urgent legislative action.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Johnson Ogundele, lawmaker representing Oriire State Constituency.

Ogundele said Oriire had suffered repeated attacks since January, including an assault on the National Park Service office in Oloka village, where five forest guards were killed.

The lawmaker commended Governor Seyi Makinde for deploying security operatives and visiting affected communities.

He, however, urged the government to increase support for security agencies and consider establishing a permanent military presence around vulnerable communities and forest corridors.

Majority Leader Sanjo Adedoyin, who seconded the motion, also called on the Federal Government to accelerate plans for state police.

The debate came amid growing concern over insecurity in Oyo State, including Wednesday’s abduction of Olaide John-Paul, younger sister of former Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, and her twin sons in Ibadan.

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Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has revealed that security operatives foiled an alleged terror plot by about five youths who were planning to bomb the Ondo State Government House.

Aiyedatiwa made the disclosure on Wednesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, shortly after a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced four persons to death by hanging over their involvement in the June 5, 2022 terrorist attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

The governor said the suspects were arrested several months ago following intelligence reports received by security agencies.

According to him, the suspects had stocked bomb-making materials and other equipment in a hotel where they were lodged before security operatives moved in and thwarted the alleged attack.

Aiyedatiwa explained that personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and the Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, acted on the intelligence, raided the hotel and arrested the suspects before they could execute their plans.

He noted that the five suspects remain in detention while investigations continue.

The governor said intelligence available to security agencies indicated that the group intended to target the Government House, although the exact motive behind the alleged plot remains unclear.

Aiyedatiwa cited the incident as an example of ongoing efforts by security agencies to prevent attacks and maintain security across the state, insisting that isolated security breaches should not overshadow the work being done by law enforcement authorities.

“We have been doing so much. I will give you an example. I think it’s about three or four months ago, some youth, about five of them, they wanted to bomb the government house,” the governor said.

“They were in their hotel, they didn’t move into a rented apartment, and they have all the equipment, all the gadgets.

“We got an intelligence report, and the police, and Amotekun moved in, busted them in the house, where they were arrested.

“They are still in detention right now. Their mission was to bomb the Government House. For what reason? Only God knows. So we are working, like I said, maybe one incident happened and it doesn’t mean that we have not been working.”

His comments come amid renewed discussions on security in Ondo State following the conviction and sentencing of four persons linked to the deadly Owo church attack, which claimed the lives of more than 40 worshippers and left over 100 others injured.

The June 2022 attack remains one of the deadliest terrorist incidents recorded in the South-West region, with authorities continuing efforts to strengthen security and prevent similar attacks.

In April, the media reported that the Ondo State Police Command said its operatives foiled a suspected attempt to bomb key government facilities in Akure, the state capital, and other parts of the state, and arrested six individuals allegedly linked to the operation.

The police said the suspects had secretly moved into the state after allegedly conducting surveillance and identifying strategic targets for the planned attacks using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

Speaking at a press briefing at the command headquarters, the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, disclosed that security operatives acted swiftly on intelligence reports, leading to the interception of the suspects before the plan could be executed.

Lawal said that the operation resulted in the arrest of six suspects and the recovery of items believed to be used in the fabrication of explosive devices.

The police identified the suspects as 56-year-old Adekunle Prosper, 39-year-old Ojo Olumide, 40-year-old Tope Kolawole, 40-year-old Ahmed Salihu, 40-year-old Bolaji Adebowale, and 43-year-old Gbadebo Abidemi.

Detailing the items recovered, the police commissioner said, “A thorough search of the scene and a subsequent operation at the suspects’ apartment resulted in the recovery of a cache of items, including 217 bottles, a bag of sugar, criminal charms, 17 mobile phones, the sum of N187,000, two HP laptops, eight slings, one knife, an external hard drive, two identity cards, one National Identity Number (NIN) card, and two motorcycles, among other items.”

Lawal noted that preliminary assessments indicated that some of these materials were intended for the construction of explosive devices, while others may had been used to facilitate coordinated criminal activities.