A crisis brewed in the Cross River State House of Assembly on the morning of Wednesday May 22 over the impeachment process of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ekom Ayambem.
Seventeen members of them 25-member House had signed a notice of impeachment alleging a series of allegations bordering on misappropriation of funds and other misconducts
At the plenary, Wednesday, Hon. Effiom Ekarika moved the motion for impeachment and was seconded by Hon. Omang Charles Omang, over allegations of misappropriation of funds.
Midway into the process, fisticuffs ensued when someone attempted to move the mace- the symbol of authority of the House. Mr. Ekarika and others were seen in a viral video from the scene attack him and seize the mace from him.
Allegations Against The Speaker
Members of the House alleged that N48 million budgeted for electricity bills of the assembly complex and quarters were misappropriated, plus another N404 million in revenues remitted by Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the state.
The impeachment notice reads additional charges: “Misappropriation of the sum of N19,437,844.00 (Nineteen Million, Four Hundred and Thirty-Seven Thousand, Eight Hundred and forty-five Naira) from Local Government deduction and 11 months deductions which he allegedly failed to disclose to members”.
“Incompetence and wrong conduct of plenary proceedings: Un-parliamentary way of conducting proceedings.
“Arbitrary approval of expenditure in flagrant breach of the provisions of Section 9(1) of the Cross River State Legislature Funds Management Law 2021.
“Approvals beyond the limit which the Speaker can approve contrary to Section 9(10) of the Cross River State Legislature Funds Management Law 2021“, among other charges.
Security Forces Intervene
Fierce-looking operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and other security agents later have stormed Assembly complex to maintain peace.
The deposed Speaker, Mr. Ayambem represents Ikom II state constituency. He was elected Speaker of the 10th Assembly of the state in June 2023.
Defiant Ex-Speaker
But the impeached Speaker is not leaving without a fight, describing his impeachment at the floor a “ridiculous charade with no constitutional basis“. His Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Matthew Okache, pushed out a statement saying,
“To be clear, the speaker of the Cross River state house of assembly is without a doubt Rt. Hon Elvert Ayambem, and that is the current position.What happened earlier today (Wednesday) during the plenary when Hon. Effiong Akarika, a member representing Calabar South 1, disrupted the session by inviting hoodlums to enter the chamber, is a ridiculous charade with no constitutional basis”.
New Speaker Emerge
A new Speaker for the Cross Rivers House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Hilary Bisong has reportedly been elected to replace the deposed on.
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