Godwin Otang, Author at Tribune Online

The Cross River State 10th House of Assembly has formerly been inaugurated, with Honourable Elvert Ayambem elected as Speaker while Honourable Sylvester Agabi is elected Deputy speaker. The House arrived at the decision after Ayambem and Agabi were both nominated unopposed by the House. Declaring the 10th Assembly inaugurated, the state Governor Senator Bassey Otu who was represented by his deputy, Peter Odey, said "by the powers conferred on me by the Constitution, I hereby declare the 10th House of Assembly of Cross River State open". In his maiden address to the House, the speaker, Elvert Ayambem, affirmed that the 10th Assembly is the people's Assembly. According to him: "We (The Assembly) affirm, that our resolve to preserve the labour of our heroes past, has not found more expression, than it would be in the 10th Assembly, which I crystain 'the people's Assembly. "Today I am here and can boldly exclaim, 'na me be this! To my colleagues, I am neither your Boss nor your Leader, but just a privileged first amogst equals. I do not take this confidence you have reposed in me for granted, it could have been any of us in this hallowed chamber. "25 of us are here gathered, whatever vehicles of political persuasion facilitated our coming thus far, must at this point lose its relevance, to the bye-partisan conversations of a greater Cross River State. "Our membership of the 10th Assembly must not be lost on the realities of time; hunger, insecurity, underdevelopment, unemployment and weak institutions, respect on political alignment are the reasons this Assembly must overlook political differences and give priority to project- Cross River State". The speaker, who is a member of the All Progressive Congress (APC), emphasized that most of the House members, just like himself, are products of public institutions which according to him "are currently bastardized". He however pledged that Constituents will see these systems functional again as there will be no Arm Chair Legislation. Further details from the event shows that other principal officers of the House are: Majority leader is Honourable Bassey Asuquo, from Odukpani State constituency and of APC, the Deputy Majority Leader is Rt. Honourable Davies Etta of Abi state constituency also of the APC. Others are; Chief Whip Rt. Hon. Hillary Bisong Boki 2 State constituency, APC, Deputy Chief Whip Rt. Honourable Ovat Agbor, Obubra 1 state constituency also APC, Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Abang Neji Ikom 1 state constituency, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Deputy Minority Leader is Honourable Rita Ayim , representing Ogoja state constituency also of the PDP. The rest are Minority Whip, Honourable Charles Omang representing Bekwarra, state constituency. He is of the PDP, while the Deputy Minority Whip is Honourable Achadu Martins representing Yala 2 State constituency, and of the PDP. READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE Tinubu in closed door meeting with Nigeria Governors Tinubu swears in new SGF, George Akume Biafra is non-negotiable ― Nnamdi Kanu We used chattered aircraft from Ethiopia to unveil Nigeria Air ― MD ‘Time is right for new project’, Karim Benzema speaks on why he made Al-Ittihad move Alia nullifies last-minute appointments, recruitments by Ortom