Tension as Cross River House of Assembly removes Speaker

By Frank Ulom

Cross River State House of Assembly has removed its Speaker, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem representing Ikom II State Constituency.

CONVERSEER gathered that Ayambem was removed on Wednesday (22nd May 2024) by two-thirds of the House; 17 out of the 25 members during a plenary.

According to a removal notice obtained by our Reporter, Ayambem was impeached on four grounds bordering on gross financial misconduct, incompetence and wrong conduct of plenary proceedings, noncompliance with the Cross River State Legislature Fund Management Law 2021 and total failure to convene leadership meetings.

The motion to remove the Speaker was moved by Hon. Effiong Ekarika of Calabar South I State Constituency and seconded by Hon. Charles Omang of Bekwarra State Constituency at about 10 am.

The removal notice was signed by the following members of the House:

1. Hon. Kingsley Ntui – Etung
2. Hon. Okon Owuna – Akamkpa I
3. Hon. Samuel Neji Abang – Ikom I
4. Hon. Cyril James Omini – Yakurr I
5. Hon. Stanley Nsemo – Calabar Municipality
6. Hon. Charles Omang Omang – Bekwarra
7. Hon. Thomas Aruku – Ogoja
8. Hon. Eyo Bassey – Bakassi
9. Hon. Bassey Bassey Effiong – Akpabuyo
10. Hon. Francis Onete Ogban – Biase
11. Hon. Victor Nsa – Calabar South II
12. Hon. Ovat Agbor – Obubra I
13. Hon. Pius Ashakia – Obanliku
14. Hon. Martins Achadu – Yala II
15. Hon. Effiong Ekarika – Calabar South I
16. Hon. Egbe Abeng Egbe – Obubra II
17. Rt. Hon. Hilary Bisong – Boki II

The members said Ayambem misappropriated 48 million meant to pay NEPA bills for the House of Assembly complex and the House of Assembly Quarters.

The members also said he misappropriated 2% of all revenue collected by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) monthly for oversight functions of the House of Assembly to the tune of N404 million.

The 17 Lawmakers said Ayambem is building a house with the proceeds from the misappropriation in Calabar.

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The removal notice read:

“We bring this all-important Motion under matters of urgent public importance in line with Order 24 of the Rules of the Cross River State House of Assembly and pursuant to Section 92(2)(C) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as altered. Having met the Constitutional requirement of two-thirds majority, we the under-listed members of the Cross River State House of Assembly hereby pass a vote-of-no-confidence on Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, Speaker of the House of Assembly and he is hereby REMOVED.

GROUNDS

Ground 1: Gross financial misconduct.

PARTICULARS

i. Misappropriation of the sum of N48,000,000.00 (Forty-Eight Million Naira) meant to pay NEPA bills for the House of Assembly complex and the House of Assembly Quarters.

ii. Misappropriation of 2% of all revenue collected by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) monthly for oversight functions of the House of Assembly in line with Section 18(a)(i) of the Cross River State Revenue Administration Law 2011 as amended to the tune of N404,683,855.10 (Four Hundred and Four Million, Six Hundred and Eighty-Three Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty-Five Naira, Ten Kobo).

iii. Misappropriation of the sum of N19,487,844.00 (Nineteen Million, Four Hundred and Thirty-Seven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty-Four Naira) from Local Government deduction and 11 months deductions which the Rt. Hon. Speaker has willfully failed to disclose to members.

Ground 2. Incompetence and wrong conduct of plenary proceedings

PARTICULARS

i. Unparliamentary way of conducting proceedings.

ii. Appointment of members to move or second motions rather than allowing interested members to raise their hands.

Ground 3. Noncompliance with the Cross River State Legislature Funds Management Law 2021.

PARTICULARS

i. Arbitrary approval of expenditure in flagrant breach of the provisions of Section 9(1) of the Cross River State Legislature Funds Management Law 2021.

ii. Approvals beyond the limit which the Speaker can approve contrary to Section 9(10) of the Cross River State Legislature Funds Management Law 2021.

ii. Perpetual refusal to inaugurate the Legislative Funds Management Committee as required by Section 3(1) of the Cross River State Legislature Funds Management Law 2021.

Ground 4. Total failure to convene leadership meetings.

PARTICULARS

i. Leadership meeting held only once in 11 months since the inception of the House.

DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:

a. IRS remittance

b. Pictures of gigantic house under construction by Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly located at Summit Hills Calabar within 11 months of office (Proceeds of crime) from the above-mentioned embezzled funds.”

CONVERSEER reports that the Governor, Prince Bassey Otu, was not in the state at the time of removal.

When contacted on the phone shortly after the removal, Mr Mathew Okache, Chief Press Secretary to Speaker did not take his call at the time of filing this report.

WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE IMPEACHMENT BELOW