Forgery Allegation Explodes: Agbese Claims Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu Faked His Signature For Endorsement

The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has maintained that his signature was forged on a document used to endorse Ikenga Ugochinyere for the position of Minority Leader.

In a statement released on Friday, Agbese explained that although he had signed a document involving Ugochinyere for a specific and unrelated purpose, the same signature was later allegedly used without his consent to support Ugochinyere’s bid for Minority Leadership.

This clarification comes after a heated exchange between both lawmakers on the floor of the House on Thursday over the disputed endorsement.

The controversy began when Agbese raised a matter of personal privilege, accusing Ugochinyere of attaching his signature to a nomination document without authorisation.

He told the House that he was surprised to see a document circulating online bearing his name and signature, purportedly backing Ugochinyere’s bid for the opposition leadership position.

According to him, while he had engaged in discussions with several lawmakers, including Ugochinyere, on matters relating to minority welfare and constituency projects, he never gave approval for any endorsement of that nature.

Reaffirming his stance, Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, said his earlier submission to the House under Order 6 Rule 2 still stands.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I signed a document with Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere for a specific purpose. However, my signature was later used for an entirely different and unauthorised purpose, the purported endorsement of Hon. Ugochinyere as Minority Leader of the House. I did not, at any point, endorse him for that position,” he stated.

He described the alleged use of his signature for an unintended purpose as forgery, insisting he would not allow his name or endorsement to be misrepresented in any way that could undermine the integrity of the House.

Agbese also expressed his readiness to appear before any House committee investigating the matter, including allegations of financial inducement involving lawmakers, calling for a fair and transparent review process.

“I remain open and willing to appear before any relevant Committee of the House for a full, transparent, and impartial review of all the facts surrounding this issue,” he added.

He urged all parties to allow due process and the House’s internal mechanisms to resolve the dispute, saying the outcome should promote truth, institutional integrity, and unity within the Minority Caucus.