The Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti has submitted seventeen Commissioner nominees to the Speaker of the Abia House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa for confirmation.
The letter which was made known on the floor of the plenary session on Friday named the following…
1. Prof Monica Ironkwe
2. Kingsely Anoribe
3. Prof Eme Uche
4. Philemon Asonye Ogbonna
5. Mike Akpara
6. Ngozi Okoronkwo
6. Okey Kanu
8. Ikechukwu Uwaoma
9. Chaka Chukwumereije
10. Uzo Nwachukwu
11. Prof Joel Friday Ogbonna
12. Chima Emmanuel Oriaku
13. Nwaobilor Nwadimma Ananaba
14. Dr. Chimezie Isaac Ukaegbu
15. Ngozi Blessing Felix
16. Engr Don Otumchere Oti
17. Comrade Sunny Okebugwu Onwuma
18. Engr Ikechukwu Monday
19. Mathew Chikodi Ekwuribe
Accordingly, the Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa has set up a committee to screen the nominees.
This comes as members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the State Assembly protest over the hijacking of the Assembly by the Labour Party.
Speaking, the member representing Obingwa East State Constituency Hon. Solomon Akpulonu stated that Labour Party wants to hijack the position of the PDP even though they are the minority party.
“We were in the executive session when we heard that the minority party will be taking the positions of the PDP. We raised the issue with Mr Speaker but after debating, he was advised not to touch the positions of the PDP. On Tuesday, our party nominated principal officers which is our right. In order 8, it advised that a majority member will be nominated from the members of the majority party. We came to the House, and instead of reading what our principal sent, it was upside down to give the majority position that belongs to PDP to the Labour Party.”
Hon. Akpulonu maintained that being the majority party with eleven members, Labour Party has 10, YPP has 2 while APC has one member, it is supposed to produce the majority leader, the deputy majority leader, the chief whip, and the deputy chief whip while the minority party gets the minority leader, deputy minority leader, minority whip, and the deputy minority whip.
He also pointed out that the Constitutions of the State Assembly which stated that high-ranking members should be made the Speaker of the State Assembly was flouted to produce the Speaker and his deputy.
Speaking further, the member representing Ukwa East State Constituency Hon. Lewis Obianyi made it clear that if the House was serious about coalition and alliance then it should follow the rules of the House and if any member wants to decamp to Labour Party, it should be done at the floor of the House so it will be clear that PDP is the minority.
