The disturbed Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, has asserted that he is still the head of the assembly.
Ayambem had made the declaration after his impeachment by the over 20 members who had earlier signed a notice of impeachment which had been delivered to him.
The motion for his removal was moved on the floor of the House by the member representing Calabar South 1, Effiong Ekarika, and seconded by Charles Omang.
Elvert Anyabem had in a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Matthew Okache, on Wednesday claiming that Akarika, who moved the motion of his impeachment, had disrupted the session by “inviting hoodlums to enter the chamber.
The statement read, “The Cross River State House of Assembly has been alerted to false news reports that the Speaker, Elvert Ayambem, has been impeached.
“To be clear, the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly is, without a doubt, Elvert Ayambem. He is in the current position. What happened earlier today (Wednesday) during the plenary, when 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.
The embattled Speaker had however, said that he is unbothered about the impeachment and was determined to elevate the assembly and support Governor Bassey Otu’s administration.
Earlier today, the officials of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Dragon Squad, and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force had taken over the assembly complex to smother the palpable tension among the lawmakers.
What They’re Saying
The released statement read:
“The House of Assembly is not cognisant of any impeachment notices being served to anyone before the frivolous act as witnessed at the chambers. The reported impeachment and replacement are speculative, and the general public is urged to disregard fake news and dismiss any notion of a crisis. The status quo is that Elvert Ayambem is the Speaker of the House of Assembly.”
Why It Matters
The political drama in the Cross River State House of Assembly is a serious issue for local governance. Speaker Elvert Ayambem is currently insisting that he is still in charge of his position despite an impeachment attempt by over 20 members.
The allegations of session disruptions and hoodlum interference show a deep divide among lawmakers and if care is not taken, this conflict will likely disrupt the assembly’s work and affect Governor Bassey Otu’s administration.
The heavy security presence from the DSS and police serves to spotlight the severity of the situation, and highlighting the urgent need for the situation to be resolved so that order and stability can return.
