The lawmaker representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere, has lost his bid to become the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives after the chamber resolved that only ranking lawmakers can occupy principal offices.
The decision was reached during plenary on Wednesday following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Babajimi Benson, who represents Ikorodu Federal Constituency in Lagos State.
The resolution provided further clarification on Order 7, Rule 15 of the House Standing Orders, which stipulates that only members with relevant legislative experience in the House of Representatives are eligible for appointment as principal officers.
The development effectively rules out first-term lawmakers from occupying key leadership positions within the Green Chamber.
Ugochinyere had been nominated last week by some opposition lawmakers to succeed Kingsley Chinda, the representative for Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency of Rivers State, as Minority Leader. Chinda vacated the position after emerging as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for Rivers State.
However, the nomination sparked controversy when Philip Agbese, Deputy Spokesperson of the House and a member of the Labour Party, denied endorsing Ugochinyere for the role during plenary last Thursday.
Agbese alleged that his signature was forged on the document submitted in support of Ugochinyere’s nomination, an allegation the Action Peoples Party, APP, lawmaker strongly rejected, describing it as false.
In response, Ugochinyere later released a video which he said showed Agbese signing the endorsement document, insisting that the nomination process was legitimate.
With the latest resolution by the House, the contest over the Minority Leader position appears settled, as only lawmakers with prior legislative experience in the House are now eligible for consideration.
