The Cross River State House of Assembly on Thursday suspended the lawmaker representing Obubra I State Constituency, Dickson Agbor, over allegations of domestic violence.
The decision was taken during a sitting of the Assembly in Calabar after members discussed a motion concerning the alleged conduct of the legislator.
The suspension followed a motion raised by lawmaker Davies Etta and supported by Francis Bassey Asuquo. During the discussion, members of the Assembly considered the allegation against Agbor and agreed that the matter required action from the legislative body.
Lawmakers said the reported incident involving the legislator was not in line with the conduct expected from members of the Assembly.
They noted that people elected into public office are expected to maintain behaviour that reflects the responsibilities given to them by the public.
After deliberating on the issue, the Assembly resolved that Agbor should be suspended indefinitely from all legislative duties. The lawmakers also agreed that the suspension would remain in place while the matter is investigated.
To further handle the issue, the Assembly approved the creation of an ad hoc committee that will examine the allegation in detail. The committee has been given the responsibility to investigate the matter and later present its findings to the House for further action.
Following the decision of the Assembly, Agbor was escorted out of the chamber by the Sergeant-at-Arms in line with the directive issued by the House.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, later addressed the development and stated that the legislature intends to maintain discipline and protect the reputation of the institution.
He also said members must behave in ways that reflect the confidence placed in them by the people they represent.
The Assembly maintained that the suspension will remain in effect until the committee concludes its investigation and submits its report for consideration.
Before the suspension, the Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu, and his wife, Eyoanwan Otu, had earlier criticised the alleged conduct linked to the lawmaker and described the reported actions as unacceptable.
Amid the controversy, the wife of the suspended lawmaker, Glory Agbor, released a statement asking the public to respect the privacy of her family. She stated that the issues between her and her husband had already been resolved within the family.
She explained that although disagreements had occurred, both of them had settled their differences peacefully and were now living in harmony. She also asked the public not to continue spreading stories that could damage the image of her family.
In her statement, she apologised to her husband and other members of their family over the situation that led to the public attention surrounding the issue. She also announced that she had withdrawn her membership from the Legislators’ Wives Association.
The Cross River State House of Assembly is expected to review the findings of the investigative committee once its report is submitted before deciding on the next step regarding the suspended lawmaker.