Ogun, Akwa Ibom, Other State Assemblies Elect New Speakers

Ogun, Akwa Ibom, Other State Assemblies Elect New Speakers

Christopher Isiguzo, Gideon Arinze in Enugu; Femi Ogbonnikan in Abeokuta, Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia, Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki, Okon Bassey in Uyo and Francis Sardauna in Katsina

Ogun, Akwa Ibom, Katsina, Ebonyi, Enugu and Abia States Houses of Assembly have elected new Speakers to pilot the affairs of their legislatures for the next four years.

In Ogun State, the lawmakers elected its immediate-past Deputy Speaker, Hon Olakunle Oluomo, as Speaker.

Oluomo, who was a member of the eighth state House of Assembly and a member representing Ifo 1 state constituency, emerged the ninth legislature Speaker.

His counterpart from Ijebu North II state constituency, Oludare Kadiri, emerged the Deputy Speaker.

While in Enugu State, the former assembly Speaker, Edward Ubosi, has been elected as the new Speaker to pilot the affairs of the seventh state assembly.

Ubosi represents Enugu East Urban constituency. He is serving his third term in the assembly having been first elected in 2011.

The election of Ubosi marked the commencement of the first sitting of the seventh session of the state assembly.

A new member, Hon. Uche Ugwu, representing Udi North state constituency, was elected the Deputy Speaker to replace Dons Uzogbado, the former Deputy Speaker from Oji River constituency.

The former leader of the assembly, Hon. Melitus Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, representing Udenu constituency, was also reelected into his position.

Meanwhile, the immediate past Leader of the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon Chinedum Orji, was yesterday elected the Speaker of the seventh assembly by the 24-member legislature.

The new Speaker, who represents Umuahia Central state constituency, is the son of former state Governor, Theodore Orji, now the Senator representing Abia Central.

Orji was elected unopposed following his nomination by Munnachim Alozie of Ugwunagbo state constituency and supported by Ginger Onwusibe of Isialangwa North state constituency.

In Ebonyi State House of Assembly, the 24 members re-elected the member representing Izzi West state constituency, Hon. Francis Nwifuru, as the Speaker of the sixth state assembly.

The members also re-elected the member representing Onicha East state constituency, Hon. Odefa Obasi Odefa, as the Deputy Speaker.

The Clerk of the assembly, Mrs. Patricia Anyasi, who presided over the election of the principal officers of the assembly, declared the duo as Speaker and Deputy Speaker after motions for their nominations were unopposed.

Meanwhile, in Katsina State, former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Tasi’u Maigari, was yesterday re-elected as the Speaker of the inaugurated seventh state assembly.

Maigari, who represents Zango constituency, was re-elected through a secret balloting after the inauguration of the assembly by the state Governor, Aminu Bello Masari.

The Speaker was nominated by Hon. Sabi’u Aliyu Muduru (APC) representing Mani constituency and seconded by Hon. Ibrahim Dikko of Matazu constituency.

Maigari was elected alongside the former Deputy Speaker of the assembly, Hon. Shehu Dalhatu (Faskari), who was reelected as the seventh assembly Deputy Speaker.

In Akwa Ibom State, a one-time Deputy Leader of the state House of Assembly, Rt Hon Aniekan Bassey, was yesterday elected as the new Speaker of the assembly thus bringing to rest series of political horse-trading on who would ascend the throne of the state assembly.

The state was literally shut down as a cross section of the citizens had trooped to the assembly complex to witness the emergence of the Speaker and other Assembly Officers.

The new Speaker, who represents Uran state constituency, was chosen to lead the seventh assembly by 25 out of 26 members of the assembly.

Others elected officers to pilot the affairs of the assembly were Mrs. Felicia Bassey of Okobo state constituency who retained her seat as the Deputy Speaker while Rt. Hon. Udoh Keriean Akpan of Oruk Anam state constituency also retained his seat as House Leader.

Addressing the assembly after his election, the Speaker praised God for his emergence as the Speaker of the assembly and acknowledged his party, the People Democratic Party (PDP) and his constituency for giving him the opportunity to represent them.

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