Judex Okoro, Calabar
Tragedy struck in Cross River State House of Assembly when one of theirs, Stephen Ukpukpen, who represented Obudu I State Constituency, died while jogging, yesterday.
An eyewitness, Michael Ojong, said Ukpukpen slumped and died at about 7:00am while carrying out his regular morning exercise along Moore Road, in Calabar, the state capital.
Ojong said: The deceased lawmaker was initially rushed to a nearby Navy Clinic but could not be admitted in the hospital as medical officials on duty suggested that he was in a critical condition.
“On their way to another hospital, he gave up the ghost and was confirmed dead in a private hospital where he was later rushed to.”
His corpse was, thereafter, taken to the Anatomy Unit of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, where he was also confirmed dead.
In his reaction, to the development, Speaker John Gaul-Lebo expressed shock “over the development” and announced that the Assembly has contatced the family.
“We’re in a meeting with the family of the deceased and the House will later issue a statement over the shocking death of the law maker.”
At Ukpukpen’s official residence in the Assembly Village, Ekorinim I, Calabar, colleagues, family members and sympathisers were seen trying to fathom what could have caused his death.