Anambra State Inaugurates 8th Assembly, Hon. Udeze Emerges Speaker
Chinwe Onuigbo and Chukwuka Ugokwe, Awka.
The Anambra State 8th Assembly has been inaugurated by the Clerk of the House of Assembly, Mrs Esther Anaetoh, following proclamation of the House by Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
Meanwhile, the member representing Ogbaru 2 Constituency, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, has emerged speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly.
Voice of Nigeria learnt that he formally dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the State’s ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) about two weeks ago after a purported meeting between his fellow elected lawmakers and Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
Moreso, the member representing the Awka South II Constituency, Hon. Chukwuma Okoye, emerged the Deputy Speaker of the House through a voice vote by the lawmakers.
Udeze, a three-time member of the House, was elected unopposed after he was nominated by member representing Ekwusigo Constituency and was seconded by member representing Awka North Constituency.
Honourable Chukwuma Okoye representing Awka South Two Constituency emerged as the Deputy Speaker of the House.
Honourable Okoye was elected unopposed after he was nominated by the member representing Ogbaru 1 Constituency, Honourable Noble Igwe and seconded by the member representing Ihiala 1 Constituency.
With his emergence, Ogbaru II has successfully produced two speakers of the State House of Assembly – first being the Speaker of the 5th Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mrs Chinwe Nwaebili, who incidentally was the person he replaced in the 2015 poll when she contested for Ogbaru Federal House of Representatives seat under the APGA, but lost out to a PDP candidate, Hon. Chuma Onyeama.
Other elected principal officers of the Assembly are Hon. Chukwuma Okoye, a two-term APGA member representing Awka South 2, who emerged as the Deputy Speaker and Hon. Ikenna Ofodoeme, first term APGA member representing Ekwusigo Constituency that became the Majority Leader.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Soludo said the Legislature was a crucial partner in the quest for good governance.
“I congratulate our newly inaugurated legislators. Irrespective of your different party affiliations, you have been employed by the people to ensure that Anambra blossoms.
“The Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary must work in a collaborative, coordinative and cooperative way to achieve ‘Project Anambra’ by making the State liveable and prosperous.
“If you all act fully in accordance with the oath of office and allegiance you have taken, I’m sure that Anambra will have the most productive Legislature in the country.
“It is a new productive partnership and as the head of the Executive arm of government, I am ready so that we can achieve our common goal which is a greater Anambra,” said Governor Soludo.
In an acceptance speech, Speaker Udeze said his emergence was not a call for celebration but more work so as to help Governor Soludo achieve a prosperous and liveable city envisaged by his administration.
He also read lists of other principal officers endorsed by the ruling APGA, which showed that other principal officers are new members, leaving out three other second term reelected APGA members – Patrick Udeoba (Anambra West); Hon. Ejike Okechukwu Okoye (Anaocha); and Emma Nwafor (Orumba South) with none.
The Clerk of the House, Mrs. Anaetoh, who administered the oath of allegiance to the Speaker, Right Honourable Udeze, and the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Okoye, charged the House of Representatives to work for the unity and development of Anambra State.
