By Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi October 31, 2025
adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
The Cross River State House of Assembly has exonerated Hon. Cyril James Omini, the lawmaker representing Yakurr I State Constituency, from serious allegations of receiving a ₦1.6 billion kickback from a construction firm contracted for state road projects, declaring the claims “untrue, unfounded, and baseless” following a thorough investigation.
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The resolution, adopted during Thursday’s plenary session at the Assembly Complex in Calabar, came after the House ad hoc committee chaired by Hon. Okon Ekanem (Calabar South II) presented its report, which found no evidence linking Omini to any illicit transaction with the firm. Speaker Elvert Ayambem, who reconvened the House after a brief adjournment, emphasized that the probe was “transparent and unbiased,” rejecting notions of a “witchhunt” against the embattled legislator.
Omini, reinstated as Chairman of the Finance and Appropriation Committee in August after his earlier removal amid the scandal, expressed profound gratitude during the session. “I thank the Speaker, the committee, and my colleagues for this opportunity to clear my name. I harbor no anger; the report has proven there was nothing like that. Let us pray for a better Cross River and a stronger House,” he stated, drawing applause from fellow lawmakers.
The controversy erupted in May when anonymous sources alleged that Omini had used artificial intelligence (AI) to clone Governor Bassey Otu’s voice, extorting ₦1.6 billion from a contractor handling the Calabar-Ikom highway rehabilitation project. The claims, which surfaced amid internal House tensions, led to Omini’s abrupt removal as Finance Committee Chairman on May 13, with Speaker Ayambem citing “gross misconduct” and absenteeism as grounds though the extortion rumor fueled public speculation.
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Omini, who was reportedly in China at the time, vehemently denied the accusations, calling them “politically motivated fabrications” aimed at derailing his oversight role on state finances. The ad hoc committee, formed shortly after, summoned the lawmaker, the construction firm, and relevant state officials for testimonies and document reviews. In its findings, the panel noted that the firm “categorically denied” any payment to Omini or intermediaries, while forensic checks on alleged voice samples yielded no matches.
“The committee’s work was exhaustive; we interviewed all parties and scrutinized bank records. There is zero corroboration for the ₦1.6 billion claim,” Ekanem affirmed, recommending Omini’s full exoneration and urging the House to guard against “malignant rumors that erode public trust.”
This clearance caps a turbulent year for the 10th Cross River Assembly, marked by factional clashes. Omini, a key signatory in the May 2024 impeachment of then-Speaker Ayambem over alleged ₦404 million misappropriation from IRS revenues, played a pivotal role in the subsequent reconciliation that reinstated Ayambem in late May. His removal from the Finance chairmanship in May 2025, however, reignited suspicions of reprisals, with a Change.org petition garnering over 5,000 signatures demanding his reinstatement pending due process.
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Governor Otu, who allegedly ordered the initial probe after being “embarrassed” by the voice-cloning rumor, welcomed the outcome via a statement from his spokesman, Emmanuel Ogbeche. “The truth has prevailed. We must focus on governance, not gossip,” Otu said, pledging continued support for legislative oversight on projects like the N78 billion road initiatives.
Civil society groups, including the Cross River Civil Society Network, lauded the Assembly’s diligence but urged stronger whistleblower protections. “This vindication is good, but it exposes how baseless claims can weaponize politics. We need robust anti-corruption frameworks,” said coordinator Bassey Eteng.
On social media, #ClearOmini trended in Calabar, with supporters posting: “Justice served no more witchhunts in CRSHA.” Critics, however, questioned the probe’s independence, linking it to broader PDP infighting ahead of 2027 polls.
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As Omini resumes duties, the House turns to budget scrutiny amid Cross River’s ₦150 billion 2026 estimates. For Yakurr I’s constituents, grappling with flooding and poor roads, his exoneration shifts focus: From scandal to service.
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