UNICAL expels Cross River Speaker after defeated VC’s son for the job
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Cross River Assembly Speaker Elvert Ayambem (APC-Ikom 2), who was a 100 level student in the department of economics at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), has been expelled from the school.
He was expelled along with 637 other students across 15 faculties and departments who failed to make the grade, as confirmed by UNICAL Media and Community Relations Board Chairman, Joseph Ekpang.
Ekpang disclosed they were expelled for their poor cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA), according to reporting by The PUNCH.
The number of expelled students is spread as follows:
- Faculty of agriculture, forestry and resource management, and the department of agricultural economics – 10
- Faculty of allied medical science, department of medical laboratory – 24
- Faculty of art and social science education, department of art education – 29
- Faculty of art, department of Christian religious studies – 86.
- Faculty of basic medical science, department of anatomy – 25
- Faculty of biological science, department of genetics and biotechnology – 66
- Faculty of dentistry, department of dentistry – 8
- Faculty of engineering and technology, department of agricultural and bioresources engineering – 15
Ayambem was embroiled in a Speakership tussle with Hilary Bisong, the son of UNICAL Vice Chancellor Florence Obi.
But he eventually defeated Bisong to become Speaker of Cross River 10th Assembly.
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Ayambem seeks a change for all generations
Ayambem was elected Speaker unopposed at the inauguration of the Assembly by Governor Bassey Out in Calabar on June 13.
Out, who was represented by Deputy Governor Peter Odey, appealed to the Assembly to pass relevant bills the 9th Assembly could not pass.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in his inaugural speech, Ayambem appealed to all lawmakers to function as lawmakers representing their people rather than toe political lines, and to hit the ground running to build a stronger and greater Cross River.
His words: “Whatever vehicles facilitated our coming this far must lose its relevance to the by-partisan conversation of a greater Cross River. The joy of this day is replete with burdensome expectations from men and women who braved the elements in long queues as votes were cast.”
“The least we can do to reward these patriots is to get our institutions to work at an optimal level to assuage the pull of downward socioeconomic realities on the people that have shown a determination in championing a change that will be for generations.”
