Impeached Cross River Assembly Speaker reinstated; pledges commitment to assembly, State

The Cross River State House of Assembly has reinstated its speaker, Elvert Anyambem who was earlier impeached through an overwhelming 17 out of 25 votes by members on grounds of high-handedness and financial impropriety.

He was reinstated during the assembly’s sitting on Tuesday where a motion passing a vote of confidence on the speaker was moved by Cyril Omini, representing Yakurr I Constituency, and supported by Kingsley Ntui, representing Etung Constituency.

Recall the members had alleged that the speaker was indulged in arbitrary expenditures in contravention of Section 9 (1) of the state’s Legislative Funds Management Law, 2021.

The State Governor Bassey Otu brokered peace as announced Monday in a statement by Nsa Gil, his Chief Press Secretary that normalcy had returned to the Cross Rivers State House of Assembly following a closed-door meeting with all 25 members of the assembly on Sunday night.

“They all unambiguously agreed to restore normalcy and maintain the status quo with Elvert Ayambem remaining as their speaker, ” the statement read in part.

Also, in a statement in Calabar on Monday, Ayambem commended Governor Otu for wading into the crisis in the assembly.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Mathew Okache, the speaker commended Otu for showing extraordinary leadership capacity.

“I pledge my cooperation and commitment towards the growth and progress of both the assembly and the state as a whole,” the statement read.

By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Reporter)