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  • Egbona hails Gov. Otu, wife on consecration as Apostle, Bishop

    Egbona hails Gov. Otu, wife on consecration as Apostle, Bishop

    The House of Representatives member from the Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency of Cross River State, Dr. Alex Egbona, has rejoiced with Governor Bassey Otu and his wife, Dr. (Mrs.) Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, on their consecration and installation as apostle and bishop, respectively, by the Voice of God Christian Mission Incorporated. 

    Egbona said in a statement on Tuesday that it was not surprising that the General Overseer and President of the church, Her Eminence ArchBishop (Dr.) Ananwan Lawrence Itam considered the Governor and his wife for the exalted spiritual responsibility.

    The lawmaker said he was certain with the Governor’s new office, the people of Cross River will experience a new phase of sweetness. 

    He said: “It gladdens my heart to hear that my governor, Senator Bassey Otu, the man who is bringing sweetness to governance to our state, has been considered and anointed as an apostle in the vineyard of God.

    “I am also excited that the First Lady and mother of Cross River State is now a bishop. It speaks to their commitment to the expansion of the kingdom and the good life of humanity. It confirms that the people of Cross River did not make any mistake when they elected the governor to be on the saddle and show direction on how to take the state to higher heights.

    Read Also: Egbona distributes medical facilities to Abi/Yakurr health centres after training workers, free outreach

    “Even before the consecration, the governor had ruled with the fear of God. What it means is that we will experience more days of conscientious governance characterized with integrity, fear of God, service to the people, fairness and better days of sweetness.

    “The people of Cross River will be the greatest beneficiaries of this elevation. This is one of the greatest things that has happened to our governor and all we need to do as a people is to pray ceaselessly for him and his family because to whom much is given, much is expected and they will need God’s grace to succeed.”

    Egbona congratulated the Governor and the wife, even as he urged all Christian leaders in the state to rally round the governor and support him to succeed both as governor and servant in the vineyard of God.

  • “Rising mental health challenge requires proper oversight, legislative intervention”

    “Rising mental health challenge requires proper oversight, legislative intervention”

    Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Specialty Healthcare, Hon Alex Egbona, has said the challenge of rising cases of mental health in the country require proper oversight and legislative intervention.

    He said same applies to other health related challenges under the jurisdiction of the Committee.

    He said this during the inauguration of the Committee at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

    He said the Committee on Specialty HealthCare is established pursuant to sections 62, 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and Standing Orders of the House of Representatives to ensure effective oversight of the health sector of the economy. 

    “The Honorable Speaker graciously appointed me to lead you my honourable colleagues on this assignment with Hon. Lawan Shettima as Deputy Chairman.

    “The mandate of the Committee covers all Specialist Hospitals, Orthopaedic Hospitals, Psychiatric Hospitals, Eye Hospitals, Blood Transfusion Services, Ear Care Centres, Obstetrics Fistula Centres, Schools of Dental Technology and Oral Health Programmes in Nigeria, Schools of Occupational Therapy, Colleges of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Schools of Medical Laboratory Technology, and annual budget estimates of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to be jointly oversighted with related Health Committees of the House.

    “I am happy to note that this Committee is made up of well-respected and experienced Members, including ranking Members of the House of Representatives and I am personally grateful to the Speaker for finding me worthy to Chair the Committee.

    “I therefore urge all Members to show commitment and dedication in carrying out our duties. As you may be aware new Orthopaedic and Neuro-Psychiatric Hospitals were recently established in parts of the country that require legislative and legal frameworks, the challenge of raising cases of mental health in the country and other health related challenges under the jurisdiction of the Committee require proper oversight and legislative intervention.

    “By the powers vested on me as Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Specialty Healthcare, I therefore formally inaugurate the Committee for maximum legislative performance and effective oversight.”

  • Tribunal affirms Egbona as Cross River Reps member

    Tribunal affirms Egbona as Cross River Reps member

    The election petition tribunal sitting in Calabar, Cross River State has dismissed the petition filed against Dr Alex Egbona, the member representing the Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, by Mr John Ifere(Sunday Okar Ifere), candidate of the Labour Party.

    Justice Phoebe Alvan Okoeonkwo who read the unanimous judgement on Friday said the petitioner could not prove any of the allegations levelled against Egbona. 

    Ifere, who campaigned with the name John Ifere but went to court with a different name-Sunday Okar ifere, had told the tribunal that Egbona was not properly nominated by the APC for the election and was therefore not qualified to contest the election.

    He alleged that the election was fraught with irregularities and in another, he urged the court to declare him winner of the same election.

    He had also told the tribunal that the figures entered for Egbona in some of the wards were done in error and insisted that the votes were actually supposed to be his. 

    Read Also: Bayelsa APC campaigners congratulate Tinubu on Tribunal victory

    The tribunal dismissed all the grounds of Ifere’s petition and consequently threw the entire petition away.

    Reacting to the judgement, Egbona said he would not hold anything against Ifere for the distractions, but invited him to join him in moving the constituency forward. He said the judgement was expected because the people truly gave him their mandate on February 25.

    He said: “On February 25 this year, you filed out in all polling units of our federal constituency to cast your vote for me, to enable me return to the House of Representatives and continue to represent you. From Bahumono to Agbo, from Agbo to Imabana, from Imabana to the entire Yakurr LGA, you cast your votes for continuity. 

    “The win was convincing. It was a bold statement by you, from all parts of Abi and Yakurr Local Governments, that you preferred me to the other contestants. INEC, the electoral umpire, confirmed and announced this position when I was declared winner of the election and was consequently inaugurated for a second term.

    “My opponent in the PDP, Hon. Eko Atu, saw the will of the people at work and immediately congratulated me without thinking twice. But Mr John Ifere decided to challenge your will and decision. He dragged me before the election petition tribunal, claiming that you did not vote for me. He even claimed that I was not properly nominated by my party, the APC, for the election.

    I never contemplated that I was going to go through this phase again, considering the distraction and money involved in election cases. In 2019, I went through this route and I know what our constituency suffered as a result. But I had no choice than to follow him to the tribunal.

    “At this point, I can only congratulate and thank you, my dear people, for standing by me from the beginning till this time. This victory is not just mine, but it belongs to God, you and all lovers of this constituency, who have prayed and showed solidarity throughout the period of this trial.

    “Let me use this opportunity to appeal to Mr John Ifere to join me as I strive to build and attract development to this federal constituency. Whatever ideas he has that can move the constituency forward will be welcome. In fact, I do not hold anything against him for the distractions; afterall he was merely exercising his rights within the law. I therefore invite him and his people to come along so that together, we can work towards the development of our constituency.”