HOUSE OF WAR, CONFUSION

 

* Assemblymen fight over money

* Speaker on a hot seat, begs Ibibio Elders, ors

* Please save me from impeachment

GOING by what is currently happening in the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly, the legislators may soon resolve into an open confrontation. Already, fisticuffs were avoided between the Ikono House member, Victor Udofia and the Deputy speaker Udo Kerian Akpan last Tuesday.

Already the house members are angling that the Speaker Sam Ikon has totally disappointed them stressing that the speaker rather than create jobs for the members have resorted to with hunt them by making some irrelevant substitutions in the committees. The member representing Ikono state constituency, Hon Victor Udofia of Ikono state constituency is said to have boasted angrily that the speaker has failed to recognize the services he offered to him and that he was going to lead a faction of the House members to ensure that he gives the speaker a run for his position.

Udofia who was visibly angry is alleged to have maintained that he was holding the security position of the House for the speaker, a position he used to protect the Speaker’s interest but that since Sam Ikon has since chosen to fight him, he will fight back.

Last Thursday some aggrieved members of the House had openly told the speaker that he has failed them. They accused the speaker of being too insensitive to their plights and always thinking of himself and his pocket alone. 

Aggrieved members of the House are said to have begun plot to ensure that they collect signatures with a view of beginning impeachment process against the speaker. The members argued that speaker Ikon has succeeded in enthroning ethnic sentiments in the House. 

Some non Ibibio lawmakers are arguing that the speaker has displayed this on his recent movement to some Ibibio stakeholders. The group who spoke through one of them said the speaker being the leader of the legislative should take his visit to all ethnic nationalities and not to the Ibibios alone. 

On Thursday, the legislators met very briefly at the chambers and then depart to meet with the Governor at the lodge. A member of the House who pleaded anonymity told our reporter that the meeting at the Lodge with the Governor was to discuss vital issues. He however refused to open up on what the vital issues are.

Meanwhile, the Deputy speaker, Hon Udo Kerian Akpan has come under serious fire from his colleagues. It was not clear as at press time what the bone of contention was, but sources close to the House of Assembly informed the news desk of THE INK that the Deputy speaker must have been caught in a plot against some of his colleagues. The speaker, Hon Sam Ikon has been advised to retrace his paths otherwise he will not end up in the Assembly as the speaker of the House.