The Cross River State House of Assembly has called on the State Government to terminate the appointment of the chairman of the State Traditional Rulers Council, Barr. Dr. Etinyin Okon Edet.
Hon. Sylvester Agabi, Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly and member representing the Obudu State Constituency, raised a matter of public urgency that received widespread support from his fellow legislators, calling for the resignation of the Traditional Rulers Council Chairman who had overstayed his term in office.
Hon. Sylvester Agabi, stated the Traditional Rulers Council Law, amended in 2009 provided for the tenure of the Chairman and members of Council. He said that according to section 4, subsect 1 of the amended law stipulates the rotation of the seat of the chairman of the council across the three senatorial districts of the state.
Hon Agabi further noted that in line with the provisions of the Traditional Rulers Council Law, the late paramount ruler of Obudu, HRM Uti Jeddy Agba, from the northern senatorial district chaired the Council for two years and handed over to HRM Eval Idaka from Abi in the central senatorial, who died in 2014 within his two years in office, and the position moved to Barr Dr Etinyin Okon Edet, the current Council Chairman from the southern senatorial district, has spent about ten (10) years in office, to the detriment of other senatorial districts.
During the plenary session, Members observed that the Traditional Rulers Council Law did not provide for the renewal of the two-year tenure. They said that even though Etinyin Okon Edet has performed incredibly well, his prolonged tenure in office is unacceptable and that he ought to step down to make room for someone from a different senatorial district. The legislators also denounced Etinyin Okon Edet’s purported interference with Governor Otu’s position as Special Advisor on Chieftaincy Affairs.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Rt Hon. Elvert Ayambem in his remark, noted that the House will uphold the law’s prescribed rotation of the Chairman Traditional Rulers Council position. He also noted that the laws of the State must be observed.
The members of the Assembly, unanimously called on the State Government to remove Barr. Dr. Etinyin Okon Edet, the Chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council, who had served beyond his two-year term for ten years. The Assembly noted that, in the interest of justice and peace, the current chairman’s position should be declared vacant for a new Chairman from a different Senatorial District.
