Rt. Hon. Peter Onwusanya is the new Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly. He was elected unanimously by all the members of the House, following the dramatic resignation of former Speaker, Rt. Hon Victor Ochei, in a power game that pitched him between impeachment or resignation.
The leadership change in the House took on Tuesday March 18, 2014 and the new Speaker, Rt. Hon. Peter Onwusanya, a first-timer, representing Oshimili South constituency in the state legislature was unanimously elected by the 29 members of the House after a motion of nomination was moved by the Deputy Majority Leader, Hon Johnson Erijo and seconded by Rt. Hon. Sam Obi.
The election of the new Speaker was sequel to the acceptance of a letter of resignation of the former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei and read on the floor of the House by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Basil Ganagana.
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, some top government officials 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, arrived the Assembly main chambers and were ushered in by some members.
Shortly after their arrival, the deputy speaker Mr. Basil Ganagana, welcomed the members and commenced the installation ceremony where he read before the floor of the house, the resignation letter of the former speaker.
The letter states inter alia: “My dear Rt. Hon. Deputy Speaker … I wish to resign my position as Speaker of this Honourable House to pave way for a new leadership. There is no doubt that I have done my best during my period in office…”
Thereafter the majority leader of the house, Mr. Monday Igbuya, 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.
The new Speaker who resumed his seat at 10:39 am after an oath of allegiance administered on him by the Clerk of the House, Barr (Mrs.) Lyna Ocholor, presided over the nomination of the member representing Ndokwa East constituency, Hon. Friday Osanebi who was elected the new Deputy Chief Whip.
The nomination of Hon Friday Osanebi (first timer ) by the Majority Leader and seconded by Hon Daniel Mayuku representing Warri South West constituency was sequel to a letter of recommendation from the state Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Peter Nwaoboshi as read by the new Speaker to the House.
In his acceptance speech, Hon Onwusanya gave thanks to God for the enthronement of new leadership in the House and solicited the support and cooperation of his colleagues and Deltans to make him succeed in his new assignment.
While thanking Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for being a bastion of support to the Fifth Assembly and stimulating the economy of the state, Onwusanya also thanked the former Speaker, Hon. Victor Ochei for the growth of the legislature during his leadership.
The new Speaker, Onwusanya, a retired civil servant from the state public service was elected into the House under the platform of the PDP in June 2011 and became the 11th Speaker of the State House of Assembly since its proclamation in January, 1992.
He became the Vice Chairman, Oshimili South Local Government Area and was the Deputy Chief Whip of the House before his divine elevation.
Rt. Hon. Peter Onwusanya was born 54 years ago to the Onwusanya family of Umuezei in Asaba. He is happily married with children.
