The embattled Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, has declared that he remains the head of the assembly.
In a dramatic turn of events at the Cross River State House of Assembly, the tenure of Speaker Elvert Ayambem has been thrust into controversy.
Amidst allegations of financial misconduct and administrative high-handedness, over 20 members of the assembly signed a notice of impeachment against Ayambem.
The motion for his removal was initiated by Effiong Ekarika, representing Calabar South 1, and supported by Charles Omang.
Despite the impeachment, Speaker Ayambem, through his Chief Press Secretary Matthew Okache, vehemently dismissed the proceedings as illegitimate.
He said, “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 House of Assembly is not aware of any impeachment notices being served to anyone before the frivolous act as witnessed at the chambers. The alleged 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.”
Ayambem’s stance is one of defiance, as he remains resolute in his position, undeterred by the impeachment, and committed to advancing the legislative assembly and supporting the administration of Governor Bassey Otu.
The situation escalated when security forces, including the Department of State Services, the Dragon Squad, and the Nigeria Police Force, were deployed to the assembly complex to mitigate the rising tension among the legislators.