It was scheduled to resume for plenary today after a month’s recess but, in a move that took everyone by surprise, the Sixth Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly suddenly resumed plenary yesterday for unexplained reasons.

Sources close to the Assembly said the sudden change of date for members to resume “might not be unconnected with the new development on the legislative matters affecting the operation of the state.” The sources, however, refused to elaborate.

It was gathered at the weekend that members of the House had received notices for them to “resume for their legislative duties on Monday September 28, instead of today, Tuesday, September 29, 2015.”

News Express recalls that the pronouncement for the members to proceed on recess was made by the Speaker of the Assembly and member representing Ibesikpo Asutan State Constituency, Hon. Aniekan Uko, on August 27, 2015.

Elder Uko, in making the pronouncement on the floor of the House, had explained that the recess would not prevent committee members from attending to their oversight matters and functions.

Investigations have revealed that some members of the assembly, who had cases at the Election Petition Tribunal in far away Abuja, took advantage of the recess to attend and defend their cases.

“It equally provided them ample opportunities to mobilise their witnesses in defending the mandates given to them by their various constituents at the April 11, 2015 elections,” other sources added.

Meanwhile, almost all the members of the Sixth Assembly, have been winning their cases at the Abuja tribunal, including, Mr. Aniekan Bassey of Uruan State Constituency, Sir Nse Ntuen of Essien Udim, Mr. Uduak Udoudo of Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo and Mrs. Otobong Ndem of Mkpat Enin.

Other winners included Mr. Mark Esset of Nsit Atai, Mr. Samuel Ufuo of Mbo and Mrs. Mfon Ekong, representing Nsit Ibom State Constituency, who all won the election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on April 11, 2015.

•Photo shows Akwa Ibom Speaker Hon. Samuel Ikon.

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