Anambra elects first woman speaker

By Okey Maduforo, Awka

(Daily Independent)

 Tuesday June 10, 2003

The Anambra State House of Assembly yesterday elected Mrs Eucharia Azodo as the new speaker of the state assembly, defying its zoning formula for picking its key officers.

The zoning agreement was that the leader of the assembly should be from Anambra North constituency since Dr. Chris Ngige, the governor, is from Anambra Central while his deputy is from Anambra South.

Azodo is from Aguata I Constitutency in Anambra South senatorial district. She is alleged to be a close ally (and sister) to the PDP caucus leader, Chief Christian Uba. She was allegedly brought in to replace Chief Sunday Nwafili of Ogbaru II constituency in Anambra North senatorial district whom it was gathered failed to receive the blessings of Uba.

Daily Independent further gathered that the 10 lawmakers-elect from the seven local government areas that make up Anambra North senatorial zone could not agree among themselves over whom to present as speaker while Uba cashed in on the situation by throwing his weight behind Azodo.[OHP]

The godfather factor in Anambra Assembly

By Okey Maduforo, Awka

Daily Independent
24^th June 2003

Anambra State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is indeed a reporter's delight. At every stage in this new democratic dispensation, the party showcases a novelty. This time, it is the election of a new Speaker for the State House of Assembly. At the end of the assembly elections, only a hand full of the former legislators made their way back to the assembly.

The new ones that joined the few old lawmakers were out to have their way in the politics of the assembly, while the old closed ranks to take them head long. While the manipulations raged on, little did the lawmakers know that a godfather was up to his old antics. Several meetings and discussions were held as regards the next speaker of the State House of Assembly. Going by the party's zoning formula, the Anambra North Senatorial district was to produce a speaker since the Central has the governor and South, the deputy governor. Ironically, the Anambra South produced the speaker; Mrs. Eucharia Azodo; an old member of the assembly representing Aguata I Constituency. Indeed, it all looks like an easy ride to the top; but the untold story of horsetrading that brought Azodo to her present position paints a picture of an assembly sitting on a time bomb. The palpable fear stems from the fact that the bruised members of the assembly from Anambra North where the speaker was to come from are not taking matters easy at all..

Though most of them are new in politics and appear to be complacent, they still have their reservations on the manner Mrs. Azodo emerged as the first female speaker in the state.

Azodo's election as the speaker was a script written by few stakeholders in the PDP, headed by Chris Uba the invisible hand in the governance of Anambra State. A close study of the lawmakers from Anambra North, presented Mr. Sunday Nwafili as a possible choice. Nwafili is from Ogbaru I Constituency and an old member of the assembly.

However, the caucus that picked the principal officers of the assembly allegedly doubted his loyalty. Having been a vocal member of the house in the last four years and also an ally of the Emeka Offor-led Anambra Peoples Forum, they saw him as one that would not compromise his stand on issues. The caucus expressed fears that he might not want to listen to the directives of the godfather, Chris Uba. In principle, members and top PDP chieftains agreed to have him as speaker, but Daily Independent reliably gathered that the terms put before him did not go down with the lawmaker. The caucus wasted no time in withdrawing his name. Also in the list was Mrs. Tabansi from Onitsha North Local Government. She has been a grassroots politician and one of the women leaders in the party. Her choice was, however, turned down due to her newness in the state assembly. Her canvassers did all they could to warm her way into the ranks of the PDP caucus but failed.

Perhaps, the party found no one else to pick as speaker from Anambra North, hence, they went to the South where there is a willing lawmaker that agreed to their terms. Azodo enjoyed the support of Chris Uba in 1999 to become a lawmaker. She also found her way back to the assembly through the same means.

Critics have however, said that Mrs. Azodo’s antecedents in the last four years did not project her as a distinguished lawmaker. They were quick to allege that at the peak of the crisis in the house, she supported Mbadinuju. And when the two parted ways, she followed Uba to fight Mbadinuju to submission. Today, she is reaping the fruits of loyalty. What appears salient is the kind of speaker she would be.

The critics also point the fact that she may be acting out a script in the assembly. This is in view of the fact that political godfathers in the country are in the habit of arm-twisting those they put in power and critics express fears that Chris Uba is not likely to be different. Also the manner in which Dr. Chris Ngige is piloting the affairs of the state, indications are rife that he would step on the godfather's toes. The choice of commissioners, it was gathered would be a challenge to the relationship of the duo. Could it be that Azodo's emergence as the speaker is to checkmate the activities of Ngige to the advantage of Chris Uba? In the light of the above, the Anambra State House of Assembly might end up becoming a mere flash in the barn. One may likely witness a sham that looked like Anambra House of Assembly in the last four years. Again, Azodo appears not to be aware of the fact that she is at the centre of an impending storm. Her aggrieved colleagues in the legislature would not let her have the entire house mortgaged in the name of protecting Uba’s investment in Ngige. Those, who felt that the party acted against their interest definitely, would take up arms against the party in case of interference.

There are strong indications that the speaker may not last. On the day of the assembly's inauguration, aggrieved lawmakers showed so much indifference. Though none of them agreed to speak to newsmen. Most lawmakers felt marginalised. Their choice of speaker was not reflected in Azodo. Those that enjoy the protection of Ngige may lean on his patronage to deal with the Uba faction in the assembly. They see Uba's position as superimposing and dictatorial, hence, they are putting up a master plan to dislodge the new speaker.

Though the governor is yet to show his position on the election of Azodo as speaker, he has not been happy with some form of arm-twisting by Uba, lately. Daily Independent gathered that his principal secretary, Secretary to the State Government and his aide de camp were his choice.

However, the proponents of Azodo's emergence do not see anything wrong with Anambra South producing a speaker. According to Prince Okey Ezenwa, secretary of PDP in the South East, the last dispensation had the Anambra Central producing the speaker and the Secretary to the State Government when Mbadinuju the governor came from the South and his deputy Chinedu Emeka hails from the North. What we have now is not different from the past. Ngige is of the Central, his deputy of the South and speaker; South also, but the Secretary to the State government is from the North as well as the deputy speaker.

“The zoning system is still in place and nothing has changed," Ezenwa said. Mr. Keluo Molokwu one of the old lawmakers representing Awka South I shares the same view with Ezenwa. "What we want is a House of Assembly that is worth it's onions; irrespective of where the speaker comes from. All we want is results and nothing more. The issue of zoning has not changed. The north still has a place in this administration,” he said.

Anambra May Get Female Speaker

From Charles Onyekamuo in Awka

ThisDay
8^th June 2003

With the formal dissolution of Anambra State House of Assembly second legislative session by the proclamation of the state governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, at the weekend, indications have emerged in Awka, the state capital, that the third legislative session of the Assembly billed for inauguration tomorrow may witness the emergence of a first female speaker for the state since its creation in 1991.

THISDAY checks revealed that with the emergence of the governor from the state's central zone, and his deputy from the South, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which holds the reigns of power in the state have ceded the speakership position of the state House of Assembly to the state's North zone to make for balance in the state's power configuration.

Already, THISDAY learnt that the state party caucus which met this weekend at Awka had X-rayed the list of state House of Assembly members-elect from the North zone and may have settled for Hon. (Mrs.) Anthonia Tabansi-Okoye, a lawyer elected on the ticket of PDP to represent Onitsha South II, in the state's 30 member legislature.

Born in Onitsha in 1959, Tabansi-Okoye who also resides in Onitsha was called to the bar in 1985 and has had over 18 years experience as a legal practitioner, THISDAY checks revealed that she was the first woman to have won election into the new Anambra State House of Assembly in the botched Third Republic. She is married with two children.

Although there are other contenders for the exalted position, like Hon. Sunday Nwafili from Ogbaru I, Constituency, Bona Orakwue and John Nwokeji from Onitsha South I, and Onitsha North I, constituencies respectively, the party caucus however appears to have settled for Hon. (Mrs.) Tabansi-Okoye for what was described as her experience, intelligence, humility and comportment which stood her out as the most suitably qualified for the position among the other legislators-elect from the state's north zone.

It was also learnt that the caucus dismissed the argument brought against her to the effect that her parents hailed from a community in the central zone before settling at Onitsha where she was born and bred as a non-issue on the ground that in 1999 Hon. Dr. K.C. Enemuo, who hailed from the central zone but won to represent Ogbaru II, constituency in the state Assembly was refused the speakership because the contention then was that even if he had a central parentage, he was representing a North zonal constituency where he was born and lived.

When contacted, however, the state secretary of the party, Chief Reuben Okpalaoka declined to comment on it, saying rather, "wait till the inauguration of the Assembly on Monday, the members will choose their speaker." [OHP]