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Acting minority leader George Ozodinobi dismisses Ikenga Ugochinyere's bid for House of Representatives minority leadership
via Punch Nigeria5 min read
The contest for the Minority Leadership of the House of Representatives has intensified as acting minority leader George Ozodinobi rejected Ikenga Ugochinyere's aspiration, calling it "a joke taken too far." This follows reports that 61 lawmakers endorsed Ugochinyere for the position after Kingsley Chinda resigned to pursue the All Progressives Congress governorship ticket for Rivers State in 2027. Ozodinobi, a member of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, argued that parliamentary tradition does not support a first-term lawmaker holding a principal office. Meanwhile, the Deputy Spokesman of the House, Philip Agbese, disowned his signature on Ugochinyere's nomination documents, stating it was used without his authorization for a purpose different from what he agreed to. Agbese claimed he signed a document related to equitable distribution of principal offices among minority parties, not an endorsement for Ugochinyere. He described the use of his signature as a "gross misrepresentation and a clear case of forgery" and has reported the matter to authorities for investigation. This dispute highlights growing divisions within the minority caucus regarding the selection of a new Minority Leader.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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