From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Speaker of Cross River State House of Assembly, Hon Elvert Ayambem, has stated that lawmakers having litigation at tribunal are not entitled to office cars until their cases are dispensed with and declared winner of the election.
Recall that some members of the lawmakers were challenged by their opponents and are still at tribunal to determine the authentic winners of the March 18, 2023 general election. Those still in Court are Kingsley Ntui (APC, Etung), Hilary Bisong (APC, Boki II), Rita Ayim (PDP, Ogoja), Martins Achadu (PDP, Yala II), Odey Bryan Wonah (LP, Yala) and Pius Ashakia (PDP, Obanliku)
Last Tuesday the legislature took delivery of their official vehicles and the Speaker distributed the cars to legislators who have no court cases to enable them carry out their oversight functions, leaving out six of them still at tribunal.
This development caused some uproar in the legislature as those who were not given, especially the new ones, have raised eye-brow, describing the action as a move to deny them their legitimate right.
One of the new members, who spoke off record, said: “It is wrong to share vehicles and left some of us out because were in at the tribunal. Are we not still doing our oversight function while at tribunal? Why should speaker deny us official committee vehicles?
“After all, the car comes with only a key and no papers. So, if we lose at tribunal, the government would still come and collect their cars from us. It is an embarrassment to us and our constituents we were elected to represent.”
Reacting on the matter, the Ayambem said: “Nobody denied them any vehicle. It has been the practice in the legislature because these vehicles are not owned by members. Only those eligible to the vehicles are those who are declared winner by INEC and are not in court. But members with litigation are not entitled to the vehicle in case you are thrown out by the Court we would not be looking for the lawmaker to retrieve the vehicle.
“We are thoroughly guarding against any form of manhunt against any of any of our colleague may lose out. In the last 9th Assembly, one of our colleagues, Davis Eta (Abi), who had litigation, was the only legislator then who was not given a car. The car was parked in the Assembly until the Court pronounced him winner and he got his vehicle.
“So, it is more like a ritual done in the legislature that once you are in Court; committee vehicle is not given to you until you are cleared by a competent court of jurisdiction that you are the one who won the election. It is just that those of them complaining today are green horns in the assembly. For those of us who are old, it is not new but to new members it is new. I think they (new ones) are misinforming the public. Ones they scale through their tribunal cases, they would get their vehicles.”