Abia: LP pulls the rug of PDP’s feet, produces Speaker of 8th Assembly
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
After all-day politicking, the member representing Aba South State Constituency of the ruling Labour Party, Emmanuel Emereuwa, has emerged the Speaker of the 8th Abia State House of Assembly.
Emereuwa emerged following the inauguration of the 8th House of Assembly by the State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, who also was on hand to witness Emereuwa’s election.
The new Speaker who served as the Executive Chairman of Aba South Local Government Area from 2016 to 2018, was nominated by Ucheonye Akachukwu, representing Aba Central State Constituency. Akachukwu described Emereuwa as an Abian with impeccable character, adding that he has all it takes to steer the ship of the House.
Emeka Obioma, representing Umuahia South State Constituency, seconded Emereuwa’s nomination and it sailed through.
Inauguration of the House generated so much anxiety and apprehension in the state so much so that the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which controls the majority of the Abia legislature with 11 lawmakers, openly accused Governor Otti of deliberately orchestrating the delay in issuing proclamation for the inauguration of the 8th House of Assembly, saying the Governor was up to mischief.
The PDP had hoped that it would produce the Speaker, which many analysts believe that such development would be a clog in the wheel of Otti’s administration.
Many analysts had posited that the odds favoured the PDP, since the House rule stipulates that only ranking members could be elected to the exalted position of the Speaker.
However, the Labour Party, which has 10 members of the House, all first timers, in a suave political display, ensured that Emereuwa, got the coveted plum job.
Many pundits had believed that Labour could only snatch the Speakership from the PDP if it could only pull the rug off the feet of the opposition party by getting the two Young Progressives Party lawmakers and the only All Progressive Congress House member to their side and cause the House rule to be changed before the election of the principal officers.
Following Emereuwa’s smooth nomination, Austin Okezie Meregine representing Umuahia East State Constituency, also of Labour Party, was elected the Deputy Speaker.
Meregini was nominated by Okoro Uchenna, the member representing Arochukwu State Constituency..
A drama ensued when the immediate past House Majority Leader, Hon. Solomon Akpulonu, re-elected to represent Obingwa East, accosted the Clerk of the House, Pedro Orokansi, for allegedly not recognizing him to make another nomination. Akpulonu accused Irokansi of sending the wrong signal to the public.
The Clerk, however, administered the oath of allegiance on the Speaker and his Deputy.
In his acceptance speech, the new Speaker promised to run the House transparently, as he expressed his heartfelt gratitude to his constituents for giving him the opportunity to be a member of the Abia State legislature.
He promised to serve Ndi Abia with sincerity, assuring that the 8th Abia House of Assembly, under his watch, would enact laws that would bring prosperity to the people; and, as well, attract investors to the state.
The House has adjourned plenary to 27th June, 2023.
