Results of the April 11 and 25, 2015 elections into the Abia State House of Assembly show the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in 13 of the 24 state constituencies while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) clinched the remaining 11, thus ending total control of the state legislature by the PDP.

The picture of the composition of the Assembly became clearer yesterday when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) presented Certificates of Return to winners of the House of Assembly polls.

The present House of Assembly is made up of only PDP members but only four serving lawmakers managed to return. They include Tony Mezie Nwaubani (PDP), Ukwa West, Martins O. Azubuike (PDP), Isiala Ngwa North, Emeka Alozie (PDP), Osisioma South, and Prince Ikedi Ezekwesiri, who was denied a return ticket by PDP and he defected to APGA and won.

At Thursday’s event, however, only 22 House of Assembly members-elect were presented with their certificates.

The State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Selina Oko, who presented the certificates, explained why the remaining two House of Assembly members-elect were excluded from the certificate presentation exercise. Prof. Oko said that the Certificate of Return for Umuahia South could not be presented because it was discovered that the name of the person who won the election was substituted when the certificate was being produced at INEC headquarters in Abuja.

She said that the mistake would be corrected at the INEC headquarters in Abuja and the real owner of the certificate would get it. In the case of Isiala Ngwa South, the REC said that the burning of INEC office in the local government was responsible for the delay in issuing certificate of return to the winner.

The state constituencies won by PDP include Umuahia Central, Umuahia east, Ukwa West, Ukwa East, Ugwunagbo and Bende north. Others are Isiala Ngwa North, Obingwa East, Obingwa West, Ohafia North, Osisioma South and Osisioma North.

The opposition, APGA, dislodged PDP in the following state constituencies: Aba North, Aba South, Aba Central, Arochukwu, Bende South and Ikwuano. Others include Isuikwuato, Ohafia South, Umunneochi and Umuahia North.

Among notable names in the new Abia legislature is Engr. Chinedu Enyinnaya Orji, the son of Abia governor, Chief Theodore Orji, who was elected on PDP platform to represent Umuahia Central state constituency. The immediate past Chief of Staff to Governor Orji, Cosmos Ndukwe, also successfully transformed to a state lawmaker as he won in Bende North state constituency on PDP platform.

Women representation in the House was badly hit by the APGA hurricane as all the three female lawmakers, Blessing Nwagba, Blessing Nkemdirim Iheasimuo and Kate Maduako,

representing Aba North, Aba South and Aba Central, respectively, all lost to APGA candidates. The only female voice that would be heard in the incoming House of Assembly is that of Mrs. Uloma Onuoha, who won the Isuikwuato state constituency on the platform of APGA.

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