BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

Calabar-Anxiety and confusion reigned at the Manjel Hotel, Calabar, Cross River State, yesterday, when the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, failed to issue Certificate of Return to Hon. Bassey Eko Ewah, representing Abi/Yakuur Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

INEC had called out the seven House of Representatives’ members-elect to issue them with the certificates, but that of the former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Ewah, was missing.

This caused a lot of confusion and anxiety  among  some  members of the Peoples Democratic Party members who were at the venue to witness the event and Ewah as well.

Wondering what could have gone wrong, the member representing Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Finance, John Owan Enoh, who had collected his own certificate, secretly drew the attention of the INEC Administrative Secretary in the state, Mr. Chris Okereke, to the omission of his colleague’s name.

The Administrative Secretary in turn tried to confer with the Federal INEC Commissioner in charge of Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River states, Mrs. Thelma Iremiren, who represented the commission’s Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega.

 Noticing the anxiety on the face of the lawmaker, Mrs. Iremiren quickly explained that some certificates could not be issued to the desired owners because they were not ready at the time.

She  assured that they would be given as soon as the INEC Chairman returned from his overseas trip.