Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ekom Ayambem, has been impeached.
Ayambem was impeached on Wednesday by 17 members of the House over allegations of misappropriation of funds.
The impeachment motion was moved by Hon. Effiom Ekarika representing Calabar South 1 Constituency, and seconded by Hon. Omang Charles Omang representing Bekwarra State Constituency.
The plot to remove Anyambem has been on for months, as members have been expressing misgivings at his conduct and leadership style.
As at Tuesday, over 20 members had signed up for his impeachment.
The impeachment notice alleged that the Speaker being removed on four grounds, bordering on financial misconduct, incompetence and wrong conduct of preliminary proceedings; non-compliance with the Cross River State Legislature Fund Management Law 2021, and total failure to convene a leadership meeting.
“We bring this all important Motion under matters of urgent public importance inline 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 requirements of two-third 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,” the part of the impeachment notice read.
Hon. Ayambem was also accused of misappropriation of the sum of N48,000,000.00 (Forty-Eight MillionNaira) meant to pay electricity bills for the House of Assembly complex and the House of Assembly Quarters.
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).
Misappropriation of the sum of N19,437, 844.00 (Nineteen Million, Four Hundred and Thirty-Seven Thousand, Eight Hundred and forty-five Naira) from Local Government deduction and 11 months deductions which he allegedly failed to disclose to members.
Ayambem was elected Speaker of the 10th Cross River State House of Assembly in June 2023.
Ayambem represents Ikom 2 State Constituency in the Houses of Assembly.
