It was earlier reported that Dekor had issued a statement calling on the leadership of the House to call Ugochinyere to order over his comment on the ongoing Rivers crisis.
In a counter statement on Friday, Abiante, who represents Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency in Rivers state, said Dekor has no permission to speak for the group.
Abiante, who described himself as the leader and spokesman for the group, said Dekor “was never instructed to speak on behalf of the caucus.”
He noted that the leadership of the caucus has always been based on seniority, adding that Dekor, a second-term lawmaker, is therefore not entitled to lead the group while there are senior colleagues.
The statement read in part, “The Rivers State caucus in the House of Representatives read with dismay a statement purportedly issued by the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency, Dumnamene Dekor, calling for the discipline of the coordinator of the G-60 lawmakers in the Green Chamber, Hon Ugochinyere Ikenga over his position on vexed issues in the polity.
“While we wouldn’t stand against the popular phrase, ‘Everybody is entitled to his opinion’, we refused to collectively accede to Dekor’s self-serving stands as he has never been elected by the Rivers State caucus to speak on our behalf.
“It is a trite knowledge and backed by precedence that the leadership of the Rivers State caucus in the House of Representatives and the National Assembly are based on seniority. Hon Deekor being a second-term lawmaker, cannot arrogate to himself the position of Caucus leader in the midst of 3rd and 4th term lawmakers.
“For the records, Dekor was properly elected in 2019, having lost his seat in 2015 at the Court of Appeal, which barred him from being a member of the 8th Assembly. He was recently reelected in 2023 to serve his second term in the House. This alone disqualifies him from jostling for the leadership of the Rivers State caucus.
“We call on the general public to discount Dekor’s statement as vituperations of a god being.”
He added, “The National Assembly is not guided by village council’s rules, and as such, everyone reserves the right to make contributions in line with his innate conviction. Hon Ugochinyere has, in the estimation of right-thinking Nigerians, proven himself in the act of quality representation.
“Dekor should realise that a member of the National Assembly is not only representing his immediate constituency but also the entire Nigeria as he is entitled to make comments or speak on issues that threaten the peace of any part of the country for which we all took an oath to preserve and protect.
“Dekor, who claims to be an experienced legislator, should have known this fact and allowed Ugochinyere to speak on matters that affect any part of the country as a bonafide member of the National Assembly.”
