THE Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has confirmed Mrs. Valerie Ebe as the first female Deputy Governor of the state.
She replaces Mr. Nsima Ekere, who resigned from office on Wednesday to stave off impeachment.
The only agenda on the brief sitting of the Assembly was to acknowledge the receipt of the governor's nominee for the position of the deputy governor and confirm same.
The new deputy governor, aged about 57, had served as Commissioner for Environment, as well as Culture and Tourism under the present administration of Governor Godswill Akpabio.
Mrs. Ebe, the founder of a popular women group in the state, Akwa Ibom Women League (AKIWOL), worked assiduously through the mobilization of the women folk during last year elections in support of the governor and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
She hails from the same federal constituency with Ekere and had served in the administration of Obong Victor Attah as a commissioner in the state Ethical and Attitudinal Reorientation Commission (EARCOM).
Before her confirmation by the House, the member representing Mkpat Enin State Constituency, pleaded with members to consider her based on her track records to take a bow and leave.
Announcing her confirmation, Speaker of the assembly, Elder Samuel Ikon, advised her to continue in her avowed commitment to the government of the day and work within the mandate in the government's developmental programmes for the people of the state.
