The embattled Leader of the 7th Bakassi Legislative Council, Hon. Emmanuel Effiong, Wednesday, insisted that he is still the bona fide leader of the council NEGROIDHAVEN has confirmed.
This disclosure is made against the backdrop of a failed impeachment process initiated by disgruntled Councillors under the aegis of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Bakassi LGA.
According to Hon. Effiong who is still with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the botched impeachment attempt did not follow laid down procedure as enshrined in the Cross River State Local Government Laws 2007 as Amended as well as the Standing Order which stipulates that a two-third majority is needed to remove a duly elected leader of the Council.
He disclosed to NEGROIDHAVEN that there are 10 lawmakers in Bakassi of the which two-third majority will amount to 7. It is to this extent he affirmed that the attempt was illegal.
His word, ‘Today, I had some information that they were going for a sitting without notifying us, as the Leader of Council I am not aware of that process. As a matter of fact, they did not even sit. But, someone just called me now telling me that they’ve gone public alleging that I have been impeached. I don’t know if that is the process of impeachment.
‘I know for sure that the Unified Standing Order which is the 2007 law as Amended talks about 2/3rd majority. And 2/3rd majority of 10 is 7 not 6. Whatever they have done there is Illegal. The processes of removing a leader in order 7 of the 2007 Standing Order as Amended talks about a) if the person ceases to be a councillor, b) when the local government legislative council is being dissolved or if through a motion he is being removed from office by a resolution of 2/3rd majority’, he said.
