Ugochinyere Blocked from Minority Leader Role as House Bars First-Term Lawmakers

(Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere. Photo by Guardian Nigerain News)

The lawmaker representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency in Imo State, Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere, has lost his bid to become Minority Leader after the House of Representatives barred first-term lawmakers from holding principal offices.

The House passed the resolution at plenary on Wednesday following the adoption of a motion sponsored by the lawmaker representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency of Lagos, Babajimi Benson.

The resolution clarified Order 7, Rule 15 of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives, which stipulates that only members with cognate legislative experience as members of the House shall be eligible for appointment as principal officers.

Ugochinyere had been nominated by some opposition lawmakers last week to succeed Kingsley Chinda, who represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency and vacated the Minority Leader role after emerging as the APC governorship candidate for Rivers State.

However, controversy surrounded the nomination when Philip Agbese, deputy spokesperson of the House and a Labour Party member, denied endorsing Ugochinyere for the position at plenary last Thursday, alleging that his signature had been forged on the nomination document.

Ugochinyere, who represents the Action Peoples Party, APP, dismissed the claim as an outrageous lie and subsequently released a video to support his assertion that Agbese had indeed signed the document endorsing him for the Minority Leader position.