Governor Ben Ayade has mourned the death of Hon Elizabeth Ironbar, member representing Akpabuyo State Constituency in the Cross River House of Assembly, saying her demise was a huge loss to the state.
Mrs Ironbar died of a protracted illness, and while some sources said she died on Wednesday morning, others submitted that she actually gave up the ghost on Tuesday night.
In a statement signed by the governor’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr Christian Ita, Ayade said, “As a government, we are saddened by the unfortunate departure of Hon. Elizabeth Edem Ironbar. She was a proud daughter of our dear state and a consummate lawmaker.
“Her demise is a huge loss to Cross River and the State House of Assembly. Hon. Ironbar’s robust contributions to legislation in our state will be sorely missed.”
While condoling with the Ironbar family and the state House of Assembly for the irreparable loss, he prayed for the peaceful repose of the deceased.
Meanwhile, her colleague and PDP stalwart, Hon. Efa Esua, member representing Calabar munipality, has alleged that the refusal of the state government to pay the late lawmaker her allowances contributed to her demise as she could not afford her medical bills.
He said, “Dr Elizabeth Ironbar was among the eight of us from the PDP who refused to decamp along with the Governor, and who was not paid her allowances for six months because she failed to decamp.
“They have been sharing our money without giving it to us and when we took her to the hospital, the doctor was unhappy that she could not fund her medical bills as a siting member of the House. She died because of that.”
