Speaker’s Impeachment: DSS, Police, others take over C’River Assembly.

Officials of the Department of the State Services, the Dragon Squad, and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force have taken over the complex of the Cross River State Assembly.

This was following the impeachment of the Assembly speaker, Elvert Anyambem.

Ayambem was impeached over alleged gross misconduct and financial misappropriation.

The move to remove the speaker has been on for some months as members have been expressing displeasure with his conduct and operations of the assembly.

As of Tuesday, over 20 members had signed up for his impeachment, and 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.

After impeaching him, the mace was taken away by the members.

However, Impeached Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Elvert Ayambem, on Wednesday denounced his removal by 17 members of the Assembly.

Ayambem was impeached as Speaker over alleged  mismanagement, misconduct, financial misappropriation and indifference to welfare of members.

However reacting to his impeachment Ayambem accused Hon. Effiong Akarika, a member representing Calabar South 1, of disrupting plenary session by inviting hoodlums to enter the chamber, insisting that he remains the Cross River Assembly Speaker.

According to a statement by Matthew Okache, Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Ayambem faulted his impeachment, describing it as a ridiculous charade with no constitutional basis.

He said: “The Cross River State House of Assembly has been alerted to false news reports that the Cross River State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt Hon. Elvert Ayambem, has been impeached.

“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.

“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 Rt Hon Elvert Ayambem is the Speaker of the House of Assembly.

“Mr. Speaker, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem remains unconcerned and determined to elevate the Cross River State House of Assembly and support the Executive arm of government, led by His Excellency, Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu, in achieving the people’s first mantra.

“Also note, that the removal of the speaker and election is not done anywhere but within prescient of the Assembly Complex”.