By-election: Cross River House of Assembly swears in PDP member elect
By Eme Offiong, Calabar
The Cross River State House of Assembly has sworn-in the member elect for Akpabuyo State constituency, Dr. Ekeng Edet.
Dr. Edet, won the February 28, 2022 by-election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, with a total of 5,866 votes to defeat the candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC and Labour Party, LP.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Eteng Williams administered the Oath of Office and Oath of Allegiance on the member elect at a brief ceremony held during plenary, which is the first time since 18 out of the 25 members of the House defected to the APC.
After the swearing-in festivities, Ekeng took his seat as the 25th member of the Cross River State Legislature and seventh lawmaker on the platform of the PDP in the assembly.
The Akpabuyo State Constituency seat was declared vacant sequel to the demise of late Madam Elizabeth Ironbar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Ironbar was one of the staunch adherents of the PDP, who defied the odds by refusing to defect to the All Progressives Congress alongside Governor Ben Ayade.
She died of cancer.
Effective represention
In his remark, the newly sworn-in lawmaker, Dr. Ekeng Edet said “I will give my constituents effective representation. I can assure you of that, I am not new to lawmaking.”
On being one of the seven PDP legislators amongst 18 members of the APC, Edet replied, “I am a politician; a politician is like a fish, you can swim in any water. It does not matter whether it is APC majority or PDP majority, all I know is that we are for Cross River State. It is Cross River State first”.
About 9 days ago, the Cross River State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Dr. Cyril Omorogbe presented a Certificate of Return to Dr. Edet in Calabar.
The REC advised Edet to be responsible and accountable to his constituents and display the spirit of sportsmanship.
Emmanuel Ukoh
