Governor Uduaghan And Cohorts Impose New Assembly Speaker On Delta State

New Assembly Speaker Peter Onwusanya
Following the forceful resignation of the Delta state
House of Assembly speaker, Mr. Victor Ochei as a
result of the impeachment plot against him by
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, the governor and
persons described as his cohorts Tuesday
installed a new speaker for the house amidst tight
security.
Governor Uduaghan had last week plotted the
impeachment of Mr. Ochei as the speaker of the
house following what an impeccable lawmaker
described as underground political feud between
the governor and the speaker which resulted to the
impeachment plot against the speaker, but along
the line two options were given him by the
governor to either tender his resignation or face
impeachment music.
Mr. Ochei, it was reliably learnt had no option than
to tender his resignation as demanded by the
governor.
As early as 8am this morning, Nigeria time, an
Armored Personnel Carrier (APC), trucks of mobile
policemen and other conventional security
agencies were already stationed at the gate of the
Assembly complex preventing people from gaining
entrance into the complex.
Before the commencement of the installation of the
new speaker, cohorts of Governor uduaghan led
by  Peoples Democratic Party State chairman,
Peter Nwaoboshi, the Chief political Adviser to
Governor Uduaghan, Ighoyota Amori and Faith
Majemite an aide to the governor among others
who were said to be the main actors in the forceful
removal of the former speaker stormed the
Assembly main chambers and were ushered in by
some members.
Shortly after their arrival, the deputy speaker, Mr.
Basil Ganagana, welcomed the governor's cohorts
and members to the installation ceremony where
he read before the floor of the house the
resignation letter of the former speaker.
Thereafter the majority leader of the house, Mr.
Monday Igbuya, who was said to be one the
executioners of Ochei's impeachment, quickly
moved for the acceptance of the former speaker's
resignation letter and was seconded by Mr.
Martins Okonta, the house then unanimously
adopted the letter.
The deputy majority leader, Mr. Johnson Erijo then
moved for the nomination of Mr. Peter Onwusanya,
representing, Oshimili South constituency as the
new speaker which was seconded by Mr. Sam Obi
representing Ika North East constituency and
unanimously adopted by the house and the new
speaker immediately took over the speaker's seat.
Meanwhile, mild drama ensued during his
acceptance speech as the new speaker, Mr.
Onwusanya, who does not understand
parliamentary protocols committed several
blunders, thereby throwing members into
uncontrollable laughter.
While thanking governor Uduaghan, PDP chair, Mr.
Nwaoboshi, state PDP chairman and members for
his installation, the new speaker, Mr. Onwusanya,
however, stated that he will not forget in a hurry
the kind of quality leadership in the immediate past
speaker, Mr. Ochei, especially in the areas of
stability, transparency and infrastructure.
It is unclear what will become Mr. Ochei's fate as
governorship candidate in view of the forceful
removal from office. The speaker had been a
favourite of the governor and jailed former
governor of the state, James Ibori. Since becoming
speaker, Mr. Ochei had been given choice power
project contracts in the state that had made him
extremely wealthy according to officials of the
state.
  Mr. Ochei was, however, absent during the
installation of the new speaker today.
PHOTO
Govonor Uduaghan
Simpa Saint Samsons
Indipendent film-maker
CEO, S.O.S21 Pictures International, Inc