Somtochukwu Udeze, the representative for Ogbaru II Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, has been elected as the Speaker of the state assembly.
Udeze’s election took place on Monday at the State House of Assembly Complex in Awka, the capital of Anambra State.
He was unanimously chosen by the 30 members of the eighth Assembly. Udeze is a three-term member of the Assembly, initially elected on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2015.
He later switched to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and won re-election in 2019.
In the March 2023 House of Assembly elections, he ran and won under the PDP but subsequently returned to APGA a few days before the inauguration of the state Assembly.
Udeze was nominated for the position by the member representing Ekwusigo Constituency, Ikenna Ofodeme, and seconded by the member representing Awka North, Chimezie Ikwunne.
During the event, which also had in attendance, the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the member representing the Awka South II Constituency, Chukwuma Okoye, emerged as the deputy speaker of the house, following a voice vote by the lawmakers.
Both of them 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.
Speaking during the ceremony, Soludo described the legislature as a crucial partner in the quest for good governance and delivering dividends of democracy.
Soludo 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, coordinated 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 am 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.
“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.”
The new speaker, in his acceptance speech, 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 foster a relationship with the executive and the judiciary based on cooperation and mutual respect.
“I sincerely look forward to a relationship of healthy interdependence 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 added.
He also read the letter from the ruling APGA on the nominees for principal officers after which he said the letter would be considered at the next adjourned date on July 11.
