Abia Sixth House Of Assembly Takes Off, Elects Speaker

FOLLOWING the proclamation of the sixth Abia State House of Assembly at 12 noon on Thursday by the state governor Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, the 24 members comprising only one female, convened and elected  unanimously a third-term serving member Martins Azubuike  of the PDP who represents Isiala Ngwa North Constituency as the Speaker.

A member representing Bende North Mr Cosmos Ndukwe  of the PDP was elected deputy  Speaker after he competed with a second term member Prince Ikedi Ezekwesili of APGA representing  Umunneochi Constituency  and polled 13 votes against Ezekwesili’s nine votes.

Only four of the former members were re-elected to the sixth House which has 13 PDP and 11 APGA including the only a female member elected on APGA platform for Isuikwuato Constituency.

Constitution of the other principal officers of the House was deferred to next meeting of the house scheduled for next Monday June 15 to enable the two political parties to forward  their  nominees to the House.

Before the election of the Speaker, the proceedings of the House were conducted by the Clerk/Permanent Secretary Mr. John Pedro Irokansi who also read out the governor’s Proclamation Order to the members in the presence of the deputy governor Rt. Hon Ude Oko Chukwu who was the Speaker of the 5th House until he resigned on Thursday 28th May to be sworn in as the state deputy governor on Friday 29 May.

With the resolution that the state governor should formally be informed that the sixth house was duly constituted to enable flow of correspondence to it, the members endorsed the adjournment motion moved Chief Tony Mezie Nwaubani  of PDP representing Ukwa West  and supported by Ezekwesili of APGA of Umunneochi Constituency. In attendance during the session were many past members of the house, PDP and APGA members and supporters including the state PDP Chairman Senator Emma  Nwaka among others.