Remove Ayambem now as Cross River Speaker – Group tells court

By Akpan David

Another organisation, Youth Action Network (YAN), has also asked the Cross River State High Court to remove the Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem as the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly.

The group also said in the alternative that the Clerk of the Assembly should commence processes to conduct valid re-election for Ayambem or elect a new Speaker immediately.

Last week, a High Court presided over by Justice Emmanuel Abua in Calabar ruled that Elvert  Ayambem was validly removed as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.

Recall that on 22nd May 2024, 17 out of 25 lawmakers alleged that Ayambem was involved in gross power abuse, financial impropriety and then passed a vote of no confidence on him but Governor Bassey Otu intervened a week after and reinstalled him.

Recall also that a citizen, Raymond Manga Esq, had filed the matter in court, asking if the process of his return to office was valid. The High Court had ruled that Ayambem was validly removed.

In another originating summon from the Cross River State High Court with suit no. HC/166/2024 between Joseph Odey vs Cross River State Governor, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the clerk and 23 others, the Director General of Youth Action Network (YAN), Joseph Odey, said they were asking the court for an order of interim injunction.

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Odey who is an APC member in the State, said they want the court to restrain the governor and other government officials from recognising or relating with Ayambem as Speaker, pending when the motion is heard.

The organisation prayed the court to further restrain Ayambem from parading himself as speaker pending when the motion is heard.

The motion itself is saying he was not validly elected back as speaker after his removal and was, therefore, holding the position illegally.

According to Odey, “The situation implies that the state does not have a speaker at present.”

The group also want the court to invalidate all activities of the House of Assembly presided over by Ayanbem since his impeachment.

The originating summon was brought pursuant to order 19 of the High Court (civil procedure) Rules 2023.

The summon was accompanied by a 13-paragraph affidavit which Odey, the claimant, deposed to.

The organisation wants the court to determine whether the Assembly can function effectively without a substantive Speaker without being properly constituted.

They called on the court to declare that Elvert Ayambem remains removed or impeached.