Cross River: Theresa Ushie sacked as Bekwarra council boss

Assembly orders bye-election within 30 days

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From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar

The Cross River State House of Assembly has sacked the Chairman of Bekwarra Local Government Council, Hon. Theresa Ushie.

Her removal followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Judiciary and Public Petitions, headed by Rt. Hon. Davies Eta, member representing Abi State Constituency.

Nineteen out of the 25 lawmakers voted in support of the removal of the council chair, who was sworn in last November and had been under suspension for over 120 days.

The crisis began on 10 June 2025 when the Assembly received a petition from eight councillors of the Bekwarra Legislative Council.

The House subsequently suspended Hon. Ushie and directed the Vice Chairman, Hon. Egbung Odama, to take over while the committee conducted a full investigation.

Presenting the report, the committee stated that the petition, dated 19 May 2025, raised serious allegations of corruption, misuse of authority, arbitrary stoppage of councillors’ salaries, and running the council without due process.

The Assembly also directed the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) to conduct a bye-election within 30 days to fill the vacant position.

Meanwhile, a legal practitioner and APC chieftain, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, has described the removal of Hon. Ushie and the order for a bye-election as illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

He argued that the Assembly lacked jurisdiction to encroach upon the constitutional powers of the judiciary by acting simultaneously as accuser, prosecutor and judge in the matter.

Such action, he maintained, constitutes a gross violation of the principle of separation of powers among the executive, legislative and judicial arms of government.