Reps Minority Leader Tussle: DSS told to probe lawmakers over alleged dollar inducement
Nigeria’s Department of State Service has been urged to urgently probe the lawmaker representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State in the Federal House of Representatives, Ikenga Ugochinyere, and 60 other legislators over alleged dollar inducement scandal currently rocking the House.
A civil society organisation, the Centre for Legislative Accountability and Democratic Integrity, CLADI, made this petition known in a document dated June 5, 2026, signed by its National President, Usman Abdullahi, and Secretary, Barr Chika Nwafo.
The petitioners demanded that the Department of State Services, DSS, begin an immediate investigation into allegations that lawmakers received financial inducements in connection with the race for the position of minority leader in the House of Representatives.
In a petition titled “Request for Immediate Investigation into Alleged Financial Inducement of Members of the House of Representatives in the Contest for Minority Leadership Position”, the group urged the DSS to investigate Ikenga Ugochinyere and more than 60 opposition lawmakers reportedly involved in the endorsement scandal.
The CSO described the allegations as a serious threat to the integrity of the National Assembly and Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
According to the CSO, reports that lawmakers may have received financial incentives of up to $50,000 to support a particular candidate for minority leadership in the House of Representatives raise grave concerns that cannot be ignored by security and anti-corruption agencies.
The petition followed controversies which trailed the emergence of Ugochinyere as the Reps minority leader after the resignation of Kingsley Chinda, the now Rivers All Progressives Congress governorship candidate.
Recall that on Thursday, the green chamber was thrown into a rowdy session after Philip Agbese, a member representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal of Benue State, alleged forgery of his signature in a document endorsing Ugochinyere.
However, Ugochinyere on Friday released a video of Agbese’s endorsement.
Reacting, CLADI said the allegations had the potential to erode public confidence in parliament if left unaddressed.
“The National Assembly occupies a sacred position in our constitutional democracy. Any suggestion that principal officers of the parliament are being produced through financial inducement rather than democratic consensus represents a direct assault on the integrity of the legislature and must be thoroughly investigated,” the petition read.
“We are compelled to bring this matter to your attention because of widespread reports alleging that substantial sums of foreign currency ($50,000) were offered to lawmakers to secure their signatures and support. While these claims remain allegations, their gravity requires urgent and impartial investigation,” the petition stated.
“No individual should be allowed to compromise the credibility of the House of Representatives. If public officers exchanged money to influence the emergence of parliamentary leaders, such conduct amounts to a betrayal of the electorate and an affront to democratic values,” the petitioners added.