Assembly Removes Cross River Council Chair, Orders Fresh Poll

Cross River State House of Assembly has dismissed the chairman of Bekwarra local government area, Theresa Ushie, following allegations of gross misconduct.

The decision came after the House adopted the report of its Committee on Judiciary and Public Petitions.

Eight councillors from Bekwarra Legislative Council filed a petition on May 19, 2025, accusing Ushie of corruption, abuse of office, unlawful withholding of councillors’ salaries and breach of due process.

Acting on the petition, the Assembly suspended Ushie for 90 days on June 10, 2025, and appointed vice‑chairman Egbung Odama as acting chairman while a full investigation was carried out.

During a plenary session held at the state Assembly on Wednesday, 19 of the 25 lawmakers voted to accept the committee’s findings, which confirmed the allegations after meetings with the petitioners, Ushie, and community members in Abuochiche.

The committee stated that the evidence was “weighty and clearly established” and that Ushie’s conduct fell short of the standards expected of her office.

Consequently, the Assembly resolved to remove Ushie from office for gross misconduct and instructed the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) to organise a by-election within 30 days to fill the vacancy and restore council operations.

Speaker Elvert Ayambem affirmed the legislature’s commitment to probity and good governance, saying the House would continue to defend transparency and uphold the law. Attempts to reach Theresa Ushie for comment were unsuccessful as her phone remained unreachable.