The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, has suspended his Press Secretary, Emmanuel Ebong. This happened after a statement was released about the Assembly's return to its chambers, which are currently being renovated.
The suspension followed a statement made on 2 June. It was titled, "AKHA to Resume Plenary at Udo Udoma Complex Next Week." The speaker’s office claimed the statement was unauthorized and misleading.
In a notice dated 3 June, Mr Otong said Mr Ebong issued the publication without his approval. He stated, "The publication was issued without the knowledge or authorisation of the Speaker. The action by Mr Ebong is a serious breach of official protocol and constitutes insubordination and an abuse of office."
This development comes just days after a security issue interrupted assembly proceedings at the Government House in Uyo. Lawmakers have been sitting there because the assembly complex is under renovation.
Reports say there was a clash between lawmakers and security personnel over entry procedures at the Government House gate on 2 June. This clash led to the assembly suspending its sitting.
After the incident, a statement from the speaker’s office, signed by Mr Ebong, said Mr Otong had instructed the Chairman of the House Committee on House Services, Lawrence Udoide, to prepare the assembly chamber at the Udo Udoma complex for business by the following week.
This statement was said to be from the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Jerry Otu. He reportedly spoke to journalists after the clash. However, when PREMIUM TIMES contacted Mr Otu, he denied making such a statement.
“I never said House of Assembly members would sit at the old chambers that is under renovation. That would be strange because work is ongoing there,” he said.
He added, “These are representatives from various constituencies. If anything happens, they will blame the governor for exposing members. So, that information was not proper.”
PREMIUM TIMES reached out to some House of Assembly reporters in the state. The journalists said they were already seated in plenary, waiting to start sitting on that date. They were not aware of the security issue and did not attend Mr Otu’s briefing.
The journalists believed that Mr Otu might have addressed media aides of lawmakers instead of actual journalists. Two media aides from different lawmakers spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to comment publicly. They disagreed with the speaker’s claims.
One of the aides said he was present when Mr Otu spoke to journalists and heard him say the speaker had directed the House Services Committee to prepare for resumption at the assembly complex.
“I heard with my two ears when the chairman of the House Committee on Information said that the speaker had given the House Services Committee instructions to ensure that they return to the House of Assembly complex next week,” the aide said.
The second aide suggested the statement might have been meant to pressure the executive over delays in the renovation. He said, “The statement backfired because, from what I heard, the governor became angry and felt it suggested an executive-legislature clash.”
He added, “So, the Press Secretary is simply the fall guy. The House understands this, which is why he was only suspended. He may still be reinstated.”
A PREMIUM TIMES finding showed that while the House Services Committee is supposed to oversee the renovation, it has little power over its completion. The work is actually managed by the Akwa Ibom State Direct Labour Committee, which is under the executive.
When contacted, Mr Ebong refused to comment on whether he relied on information from the information committee chairman before releasing the statement. "I don’t have anything to say. It is normal. Just know that there is no conflict between the executive and the legislature,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Labour Party expressed concerns about the independence of the legislature and the state of democracy. In a statement signed by its publicity secretary, Ime Silas, the party said the security standoff and conflicting statements from assembly officials have created doubts about relations between the executive and legislative arms.
The party stated that the incident highlights the need for quick completion of the renovation work at the assembly complex. This will allow lawmakers to work in an independent environment. They said, "The legislature must be allowed to function without fear, coercion, or external interference."
The party also urged the executive to respect the legislature's autonomy and asked the assembly leadership to protect its independence. This controversy has drawn public attention back to the ongoing renovation of the Assembly complex at Udo Udoma Avenue, where lawmakers used to hold sessions before moving to the Government House.
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