Hon. Uche Calistus Ugwu, Udi North state constituency, was on Tuesday elected speaker of the 8th Enugu State House of Assembly.
He is a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Incidentally, Hon. Ezenta Ezeani of Igbo-Etiti state constituency, who is also from PDP, was elected the deputy speaker.
Their election as speaker and deputy speaker, is however a huge surprise to many because it was expected that the Labour Party, LP that has the majority in the House would have produced the positions of speaker and deputy speaker as the party with a majority of 14 as against PDP’s 10 members.
But the clerk of the House, Dr. Emmanuel Udaya, cited the standing House rule which stipulated that ranking members should get such exalted offices, said, “Any member nominated as speaker or deputy shall be a ranking member who must have successfully completed a four-year tenure in a House of Assembly.”
However, amid serious coughing and sneezing occasioned by the teargas released by security agents to disperse the crowd that thronged the gate to Halloween Chambers to witness the inauguration, Ugwu was unanimously elected speaker.
He was nominated for the position by the member representing Nkanu West state constituency, Honorable Iloabuchi Aniagu.
In his acceptance speech, Speaker Ugwu expressed deep appreciation to his colleagues who gave him the honour to become their leader.
Ugwu said that his administration would be fair to all irrespective of party affiliation or leaning and promised to work harmoniously with the executive devoid of confrontation and acrimony.
He, however, acknowledged the diversity in the House which is composed of PDP and LP members.
“We are not oblivious of the diversity happening in the assembly. What is binding us together is greater than what is dividing us,” he said.
Ugwu said that time would not permit them to elect the rest of the principal officers saying that they would do so in their next sitting.