By: Our Reporter

The Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. ANIEKAN BASSEY has emerged winner of year 2021 Citizens Award for Legislative Excellence (CaLEX), gathering majority endorsement of Advisory Board Members Citizens Watch International, Nigeria's premier independent policy advocacy Non- Governmental Organisation working to engender active participation of the citizens in the electoral, legislative and governance process, other private sector democracy working groups and a consortium of other citizens action networks, ahead of 13 other nominees consisting of Serving and Former Members of Legislative Houses in Nigeria.

According to a Press Release, titled 'SPEAKER ANIEKAN BASSEY WINS 2021 CaLEX Award', issued and signed on behalf of CaLEX Consortium by Dr. Sarai Drake, Country Director of Citizens Watch International, "Speaker ANIEKAN BASSEY, the Representative of Uruan State Constituency at Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has emerged Winner of the 2021 Citizens Award for Legislative Excellence, following the sound consideration and acknowledgement of his outstanding legislative impact in just around 6 years as a Legislator, providing sustainable means of livelihood for youths, exploring legislative and oversight functions to support community development, and most importantly, for presiding over one of the most productive Parliaments at the sub-national governance level anywhere in Africa".

On the mission and programmes of the Organisation and essence of the Award, the Release added that, "Since inception in 2017, Citizens Watch International is working to map out strategic spaces for inclusion of various segments of the civic populace, especially the vulnerable and economically disadvantaged ones in rural and hard to reach communities through conscious political education and programmes for Artisans/Tradesmen,Youth/Students, Gender/Physically challenged, Cooperative Societies amongst others, whereas the Citizens Award for Legislative Excellence was instituted in 2019 to highlight distinguished Legislators, considering the relevant role of the Parliament as the Nucleus of any Democratic system, and to advance advocacy for deeper citizens engagement in the legislative process. This year, 2021, we are all excited and extremely delighted in all responsibility and sound conviction to announce the choice of Rt. Hon. ANIEKAN BASSEY for the highly prized Citizens Award for Legislative Excellence, CaLEX, henceforth listing him in the ranks of Distinguished Senator Grace Bent and Rt. Honourable Babelle Bashir who had previously emerged winners in the 2019 and 2020 Award years respectively".

Elsewhere in the Release, Dr. Sarai Drake stated that the 'Award shall be bestowed on Mr. Speaker on Monday, the 13th day of December, 2021 during a Courtesy Visit by Members of the CaLEX Consortium National Working Group, as part of activities lined up for the Citizens Watch International (CWI) End of Year Advocacy Campaign'.