The son of ex-Governor Theodore Orji, Mr. Chinedum Orji, representing Umuahia Central State constituency (Peoples Democratic Party), has emerged the Majority Leader of the Abia State House of Assembly.
Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martins Azubuike, disclosed this on Monday when he led the lawmakers to the Government House for a courtesy call on Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
The Speaker, while introducing his colleagues to the Governor, identified Hon. Abraham Oba, representing Aba Central constituency (All Progressive Grand Alliance), as the Minority Leader.
He introduced Tony Mezie Nwubani (PDP), Ukwa West Constituency, as the Majority Whip; while the Minority Whip, according to him, is Chibuzor Okogbue ( APGA), Bende South constituency.
Mr. Cosmos Ndukwe (PDP) representing Bende North had been elected the Deputy Speaker during the inauguration of the House last Thursday. The House comprises 13 PDP members and 11 APGA members.
This has ended months of speculation that the ex-Governor’s son was being positioned for the position of the Speaker, an allegation he had severally denied.
The Speaker, who said they came to present the entire members of the 6th House to the Governor, affirmed their readiness to partner with the executive to move the state forward.
According to him, the House had its first plenary session on Monday where they shared the aspirations of the governor.
He said the House had, during its first plenary earlier in the day, discussed how to tackle insecurity, which, he said, was beginning to rear its ugly head in the state.
He said the lawmakers were willing to partner with the executive to ensure the “evil does not re-surface in the state again.”
Responding, Ikpeazu thanked the lawmakers for the peaceful manner they conducted their election despite their party differences, and promised to work together with them in the best interest of the state.
On the resurfacing insecurity in parts of the state, Ikpeazu said he had concluded plans to submit a bill to the state House of Assembly seeking to establish a Security Trust Fund.
According to him, his administration will fight crime using digital means, adding that plans are underway to mount close circuit televisions on the streets to monitor movements of people in the state.
The governor disclosed his plans to digitalise security monitoring and bring Information Communication Technology to bear on the sector.
