‘I am still in charge’, embattled Cross River speaker denies impeachment
Embattled Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, has declared that he remains the head of the assembly despite an impeachment attempt by over 20 members.
The motion for Ayambem’s removal was moved on the floor of the House by Effiong Ekarika, representing Calabar South 1, and seconded by Charles Omang.
In response, Ayambem denounced the impeachment process as null and void in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Matthew Okache, on Wednesday. He accused Ekarika of disrupting the session by “inviting hoodlums to enter the chamber.”
“The Cross River State House of Assembly has been alerted to false news reports that the Speaker, Elvert Ayambem, has been impeached,” the statement read. “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 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.”
Ayambem asserted that the House of Assembly is unaware of any impeachment notices being served before the session, labeling the alleged impeachment and replacement as speculative. He urged the public to disregard any reports of a crisis, emphasizing that he remains the Speaker.
Despite the impeachment attempt, Ayambem expressed his commitment to elevating the assembly and supporting Governor Bassey Otu’s administration.
Earlier in the day, officials from the Department of State Services, the Dragon Squad, and personnel from the Nigeria Police Force took over the assembly complex to manage the tension among lawmakers.
