A suspended member of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Ovat Agbor, has apologised to the state government, the legislature and his constituents over the alleged assault on his wife.
Mr Agbor, who represents Obubra I State Constituency, issued the apology in a public statement on Monday, days after the assembly suspended him indefinitely from legislative activities.
He posted the statement on his Facebook page.
The lawmaker said he regretted the embarrassment the situation may have caused the government and people of Cross River State.
“I, Hon. Ovat Dickson Agbor, Member representing Obubra 1 State Constituency in the Cross River State House of Assembly, wish to sincerely express my profound apology to the Government and good people of Cross River State over the recent controversy that has generated public concern,” he said.
Apology to governor, assembly
Mr Agbor apologised to Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River, the First Lady of the state and the leadership of the state assembly, acknowledging the political and institutional implications of the incident.
“First, I respectfully extend my heartfelt apology to Governor Otu and the Wife of the Governor, first lady, Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, for any embarrassment the situation may have caused the government and the image of our dear state.”
He also apologised to the Speaker of the House, Elvert Ayambem, and his colleagues in the legislature.
“I also tender my sincere apologies to the leadership of the Cross River State House of Assembly under the able leadership of the Speaker, Mr Ayambem, as well as my esteemed colleagues for the discomfort and distraction this development may have created within the House.”
The lawmaker further extended his apology to political stakeholders, traditional rulers, members of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and both families involved.
Mr Agbor acknowledged that his delay in publicly responding to the allegations contributed to the controversy.
“While many narratives circulating online do not accurately reflect the true situation, I take full responsibility for not coming out earlier to address the issue publicly,” he said.
“I acknowledge that my silence created room for speculation, and for that I am deeply sorry.”
He added that he remained committed to serving his constituents “with humility, responsibility, and renewed dedication.”
Police intervention
Meanwhile, the police command in the state said the lawmaker and his wife had honoured its invitation following the allegations.
In a statement on Monday, the police spokesperson in the state, Eitokpah Sunday, said both parties expressed willingness to resolve their differences.
“During the engagement, both parties indicated willingness to resolve their differences, following appeals made by the wife,” the statement said.
The police added that the lawmaker had been released to a reliable surety while the case file would be forwarded to the state Attorney-General for legal advice after investigations.
READ ALSO: Nigerian lawmaker suspended ‘indefinitely’ over alleged assault on wife
Background
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Cross River State House of Assembly suspended Mr Agbor indefinitely over allegations that he physically assaulted his wife.
The decision followed a motion moved during plenary, with the assembly condemning the alleged conduct as inconsistent with the ethical standards expected of lawmakers.
The House also set up a committee to investigate the allegation and report its findings for further legislative action.