Udeze Emerges Speaker 8th Anambra Assembly, Days after Joining APGA from PDP

By Praise Chinecherem

Member representing Ogbaru Constituency ll, Mr Somtochukwu Udeze has emerged the speaker Anambra State House of Assembly, while Mr Chukwuma Okoye, representing Awka South ll emerge the Deputy Speaker of the House.

Udeze was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March, 2023 elections, but he defected to the All Progressive Grand Alliance( APGA) a few days to the proclamation of the state’s 8th assembly.

He emerged the speaker on Monday following unanimous election by 30 members of the Assembly at the State House of Assembly Complex in Awka.

Udeze, third term serving legislator, was nominated for the position by Member representing Ekwusigo Constituency, Ikenna Ofodeme, and seconded by his Awka North counterpart, Chimezie Ikwunne.

The speaker and his deputy were sworn-in by the acting clerk of the House, Esther Aneto, who also decorated the new speaker to succeed the outgone Speaker, Uchenna Okafor.

In his acceptance speech, the Speaker promised to improve the welfare and security of the people through developmental-oriented Bills and motions as well as serve as an effective watchdog of the state’s commonwealth.

“I am grateful to my colleagues for electing me as the Speaker. The 8th Assembly under my watch will forster a relationship with the executive and the judiciary based and cooperation and mutual respect.

“I sincerely look forward to a relationship of healthy inter-dependence where each arm approaches one another as a responsible partner in governance.

“We shall ensure the development of appropriate legislative templates for addressing the numerous challenges in our state, ” he said.

The Speaker also read the letter from the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on the nominees for principal officers as the party with the majority in the Assembly.

He however, said that the letter would be considered at the next adjourned date which is July 11.

Inaugurating and issuing the proclamation of the functionality of the 8th State House of Assembly, Governor Chukwuma Soludo described the legislature as a crucial partner in the quest for good governance.

He said: “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 collaboratively, 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.”