Fight Erupts As Cross River Assembly Impeaches Speaker
The drama unfolded when 17 out of the 25 members of the House impeached the Speaker, Elvert Ayambem, over allegations of financial misappropriation and misconduct. The motion to impeach was moved by Hon. Effiom Ekarika from Calabar South 1 Constituency and seconded by another member whose name was mysteriously omitted from the minutes.
The allegations against Ayambem were as juicy as a gossip magazine: misappropriation of N48 million for electricity bills, N404 million from revenue collected by the Internal Revenue Service, and N19,437,844 from Local Government deductions.
But the real showstopper came after the impeachment was announced. In a move worthy of a WWE match, one lawmaker made a dash for the mace, the symbol of the Speaker’s authority. A struggle ensued, and a brawl broke out in the chamber.
As the dust settled, the Cross River State House of Assembly released a statement maintaining that Ayambem remained Speaker despite the chaos. They dismissed the impeachment as a “ridiculous charade” and urged the public to disregard the news.
