CROSIEC Chairman Quits As Gov Otu Moves To Sack Electoral Body

• Approaches lawmakers for approval
• Cites Commission’s apathy as reason for delayed LG polls

BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – In a pre-emptive move against possible sack following what many political pundits considered as years of inactivity, the Chairman of Cross River state Independent Electoral Commission, (CROSSIEC), Associate Professor Mike Ushie, has now bade farewell to the position.

The development comes on the heels of the State Government expressing its anger at the Commission’s “cavalier work attitude”.

But in his resignation letter to the Governor dated 17th July 2024, Professor Ushie said the decision is to enable him return to the University for further research work having served for over six years.

The resignation letter partly read: “I write to resign my appointment as Chairman of the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC).

“This decision is to enable me to return to the University for further research work having served for over six years in that capacity.

“May I use this opportunity to thank the Governor and people of Cross River State for the privilege to serve, especially in delivering a peaceful Local Government Council election in 2020, the first post Covid-19 election in Nigeria with Hundred Percent compliance with International Safety Protocols.

“I wish His Excellency well in the implementation of the People’s First Agenda of his Administration.

Ushie’s exit is against the backdrop of Governor Bassey Otu’s request that the State House of Assembly approves the government’s decision to reorganize CROSIEC for effective service delivery.

Conveyed in a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor A. Owan Enoh, the request highlighted the Commission’s ineffectiveness and prayed the Legislature to ”act, under section 201(1) – (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, and pass an address to remove the Chairman as well as all the Members of the commission owing to serial ineffectiveness.”

According to the letter, the State Government has, “observed with dismay a cavalier work attitude by the Chairman and members of the State Electoral Commission. This inertia has led to the State not being able to conduct Local Government Council elections which ought to have been held in 2023”.

The letter subsequently sought the Assembly’s approval to give Governor Otu, “the latitude to reorganize the Commission to enable the State to have elections into its Local Government Council as soon as possible”.

After considering the request, the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem referred the matter to the House Committee on Judiciary Public Service Matters, Public Petition, and Conflict Resolution for in-depth study and recommendation.

Ushie, who is a University of Càlabar (UniCal) lecturer and was first appointed in 2017 to head the state electoral body. The then Governor Ben Ayade renewed his tenure in 2022 with a mandate to conduct the Local Government election before May 29, 2023.

Also, during his duty tour at the Commission, the Associate Professor was elected the National Secretary by the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) in 2022.

Meanwhile, the State House of Assembly has also received Governor Otu’s request to confirm nominees for appointment into the Local Government Service Commission, Board of Internal Revenue Service and the State Privatization Council.

The requests have also been referred to the House Committee on Judiciary, Public Service matters, Public Petitions, and Conflict Resolution for further legislative action.