Cross River House elects new Speaker

The Cross River House of Assembly was yesterday inaugurated with Hon.  Larry Odey,  representing Yala 1 Constituency,  elected as the new Speaker.

The House also elected Mr Itaya Nyong  as the Deputy Speaker  while  Mrs Uduak Akaba emerged as the Chief Whip.Mr Samuel Nkoro was elected as the Deputy Chief Whip while  Mr Moses Onoh emerged  the Majority Leader.

The News Agency of  Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new Speaker had been in the House in the  last four years. In his acceptance speech, Odey pledged to  protect the integrity and sanctity of the House.

“I shall avail myself to all shades of opinion and advice and will spare no effort in pursuing those ideals that will develop and maintain a spirit of oneness and purposefulness among members of this House,’’ he said.

The new Speaker said he would initiate laws that would eliminate communal clashes, ethnic divides as well as  insecurity in the state.

He charged  his colleagues  to eschew all acts that could run counter to the aspirations of the people or negate the development of the state.

The Speaker called on other arms of government to collaborate with the legislators  in the task of moving the state forward.

Odey  gave an assurance  that his leadership would engage in meaningful dialogue and consultation with all stakeholders to draw input that would form the backbone of   legislative business.

In his goodwill message, Gov. Liyel Imoke  urged members to regard their election and mandate as a great challenge.

He called on the members to sustain the leadership qualities that convinced the electorate to vote for them.

He appealed to members to decry all negative, divisive and diversionary tendencies that could delay efforts to achieve a stable environment.

Imoke, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Effiok Cobham, promised to provide members with  operational vehicles to facilitate their administrative and oversight functions.(NAN)

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