A-Ibom Assembly suspends LG chairman for assaulting creditor

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has suspended the chairman of Abak Local Government Area of the state, Imoh Williams, indefinitely over the alleged assault on his creditor by his aides, identified as Godwin Abraham.

This followed the unanimous decision of members on the matter of urgent public importance brought before the House by the member representing Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo state constituency, Uduak Udoudo, during plenary, yesterday.

Presenting the matter on the floor of the House, Udoudo noted that the victim was beaten instead of the chairman paying him the money for a job he had delivered since 2017. He said: “I decided to bring this matter to the House for further legislative actions and commit it to the committee for further investigation. And I call that the Chairman of Abak LGA be suspended while the committee investigates the matter.” In their separate contributions, deputy speaker, Princess Felicia Bassey, Aniekan Uko, Usoro Akpanusoh, Denis Akpan and David Lawrence of Okobo, Ibesikpo Asutan, Esit Eket/Ibeno, Etinan and Eket state constituencies aligned with Udoudo’s position that the chairman should be suspended.

They submitted that the chairman should, however, be given opportunity to be invited so that he could defend himself in the matter as the incident was currently an allegation pending the outcome of the investigation. They insisted that he should be given a fair hearing to ensure that justice was done on the matter while the vice chairman should take over the affairs of the council for now. Leader of the House, Udo-Kieran Akpan, member representing Oruk Anam state constituency moved a motion for the suspension of the council chairman, while Aniekan Uko of Ibesikpo Asutan constituency seconded the motion.

The Speaker, Aniekan Bassey referred the matter to the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for investigation. He urged the committee “to ensure it submit its recommendation within one month.” The Abak council chairman, Williams, a lawyer had allegedly used his aides to brutalise one Abraham, whom he (Williams) owed N75,000.

(Credit: Vanguard)