House Plenary Turns Chaotic Over Minority Leader Contest as Agbese Alleges Forgery in Trending Video
- Chaos erupts in the House of Representatives as lawmakers battle for the minority leader position to replace Kingsley Chinda
- Philip Agbese accused colleagues of forgery in Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere's endorsement following Chinda's resignation
- Tensions escalate with allegations of bribery and disputes over leadership support during plenary on Thursday, June 4, 2026
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - A fierce battle erupted in the House of Representatives as lawmakers jostled to fill the vacancy created by the exit of Kingsley Chinda as minority leader.
Legit.ng reports that Chinda resigned as the minority leader and dumped the PDP after emerging as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State.
The chaos triggered a rowdy plenary session after Philip Agbese accused colleagues of forging his signature to endorse fellow lawmaker Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere for the position of minority leader.
The Labour Party (LP) lawmaker from Benue State told the House that a document circulating online falsely listed him among lawmakers backing Ugochinyere's bid.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday, June 4, 2026, and made available to Legit.ng
Agbese said his previous discussion with Ugochinyere was about constituency projects and not leadership ambitions.
The federal lawmaker urged the House leadership to investigate the matter and prevent any further use of his name in connection with the leadership contest.
Agbese further inflamed tensions within the chamber when he alleged that reports claimed lawmakers received $50,000 each to support Ugochinyere's emergence as minority leader.
The Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas’s, intervention to settle nerves among the lawmakers failed.
The dispute escalated when Ugochinyere rose to reject the allegations, describing Agbese's claims as false and defamatory.
The Imo lawmaker accused Agbese of attempting to damage his reputation and insisted he could produce witnesses who saw the endorsement being signed.
He said Agbese had willingly backed his nomination and challenged the forgery allegation.
Agbese immediately rejected the claim, maintaining that he neither attended the purported meeting nor signed any endorsement document.
The exchange sparked fresh shouting and protests across the chamber, forcing Abbas to spend more than 15 minutes restoring order before proceedings could continue.
Legit.ng reports that Ugochinyere represents Ideato Federal Constituency in Imo State, while Agbese represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency in Benue State.
House of Representatives
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Agbese wins Labour Party ticket after dumping APC
Recall that Agbese secured the Labour Party ticket for Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Deputy House spokesperson won the direct primary with over 52,000 votes across Benue wards.
The Labour Party, which concluded primaries in Benue, produced candidates for senatorial and governorship positions.
6 House of Reps members dump PDP
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling APC, resigning his leadership position.
Six Oyo lawmakers transition from PDP to Allied Peoples Movement, reshaping the House dynamics.
Cross-party movements surge, with significant defections strengthening the opposition's foothold in the House.
Source: Legit.ng
