The lawmaker representing Obudu Constituency in the Cross River State House of Assembly, Mr. Steven Ukpukpen, slumped and died during an early morning workout on Wednesday.

The incident happened at 7 am along Moore Road in Calabar.

The lawmaker was said to have been rushed to a nearby Navy Clinic, but medical officials on duty said he was in a critical condition and therefore directed that he should be transferred to another hospital.

He was confirmed dead by medical officials in a private hospital where he was later taken to. The Anatomy Unit of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, where he was thereafter taken also certified him dead.

Reacting to the development, Speaker of the CRHA, Mr. John Gaul-Lebo, said he was in shock over the development.

Gaul-Lebo, who was in a meeting with the family of the deceased as of 11.51am, said the House would later issue a statement over the death of the lawmaker.

“I am still in shock. I do not know what to say. We are in a meeting with the family members and we would later issue a statement on the sad development,” he said.