The member representing Ogbaru II constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Somtochukwu Udeze has emerged the speaker of the assembly.
Udeze, who won the March 18, 2023 election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had dumped the party after the elections and joined the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA.
He emerged as the speaker of the 8th Assembly on Monday after a unanimous election that had 30 members of the State Assembly voting for him at the House of Assembly Complex in Awka.
Udeze was nominated for the position by the member representing Ekwusigo Constituency, Ikenna Ofodeme, and seconded by his Awka North counterpart, Chimezie Ikwunne.
A voice vote led to the emergence of Chukwuma Okoye, a member representing Awka South II Constituency as the deputy speaker of the House.
The duo was sworn-in by the acting Clerk of the House, Esther Aneto in the presence of the state Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo.
Aneto also decorated the new speaker who will be succeeding the outgone Speaker, Uchenna Okafor as he lost his re-election term bid.
Udeze is a third-term member of the State Assembly having been among the few members who won their re-election to the House in the 2023
He first became a member of the house on the platform of APGA in 2015, but later decamped to the PDP under which he won his re-election to the House in 2019.
Speaking during the proclamation ceremony, Governor 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.”