Inauguration of the Legislative House, matters arising.

Inauguration of the Legislative House, matters arising.

In the LAWSAN Legislative Council, Faculty of Law, University of Uyo, 5th February, 2016. The event was the inauguration of the LAWSAN Legislative Council. As the Constitution stipulates, the election of the Chief Whip of the House, which is the reserve of Constituency II, was conducted, Emediong Ekanem emerged against Martins Ukpe after scoring 15 votes to Martins 10. The election of the Leader of the House was next, being the exclusive reserve of the Constituency III class, Dominic Akpan (Deity) stood for the electiob, but having not been challenged for the post, emerged the Leader of the LAWSAN Legislative unopposed. The election of the Deputy Speaker of the House became a point of law as the two clbtenders, Uwana Akpan, a three time member of the House and Nango Douglas exchanged legal jibes. While Uwana Akpan questions Nango's eligibility to stand for the election, citing Section 16(3) of the LAWSAN Constitution as his basis, Nango Douglas countered him, maintaining that he had escaped the limitations of that section having been a member of the House in 2012 as a Diploma student, Uwana Akpan further argued that, granted he was a member of the House, but he is not using the same Diploma registration number again and hence, he is stepping into the House as a first timer. The provision of section 60(3) provide thus: "No member of the House shall be eligible to run for a Principal Office unles he has conclude one academic session. As a member of the House..." While commenting on it, the LAWSAN President cired section 60 and referred them to the LAWSAN High Court for interpretation. This, the election of the Deputy Speaker of the House have been kept in hold, pending the decision and the ruling of the court.