Cross River Assembly Approves Dissolution of State Electoral Commission
The Cross River State House of Assembly has approved Governor Bassey Otu’s request to dissolve the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC). The approval came after a decisive plenary session where 22 out of 25 Assembly members voted in favor of the proposal, meeting the required two-thirds majority.
Governor Otu’s request, formally presented on July 16 via a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. A. Owan Enoh, was based on concerns regarding CROSIEC’s performance. The letter cited the Commission’s “cavalier work attitude” and its role in delaying the 2023 Local Government Council elections as primary reasons for the proposed dissolution. The request invoked section 201(1) – (2) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, calling for the removal of CROSIEC’s Chairman and members.
The House of Assembly’s approval mandates Governor Otu to promptly reconstitute CROSIEC to facilitate the overdue local elections. Lawmakers emphasized that conducting these elections is crucial to reducing the administrative burden on the executive and legislative arms and ensuring that the benefits of democracy are more effectively felt at the grassroots level.
