After all-day horse trading, a greenhorn and a member of the ruling Labour Party, Emmanuel Emereuwa, representing Aba South State Constituency, has finally emerged the Speaker of the 8th Abia State House of Assembly.

Emereuwa emerged few moments ago following the inauguration of the 8th House of Assembly by the State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti.

The new Speaker served as the Executive Chairman of Aba South Local Government Area from 2016 to 2018.

Inauguration of the House has caused so much anxiety and apprehension in the state as the People's Democratic Party which controls the majority of House members with 11 lawmakers had deployed every thing in it's arsenal to retain the Speakership.

Many analysts had posited that the odds favoured the PDP, since the House rule stipulates that only a ranking member could be elected to the exalted position of the Speaker.

But Labour Party, in a deft political move, ensured that Emereuwa, a first timer and one of the 10 members of LP lawmakers, got the plum job.

Many pundits had believed that Labour could pull the rug off the feet of PDP if it could get the two Young Progressives Party lawmakers and the only All Progressive Congress House member to their side and cause the House rule to be changes before the election of the principal officers.

Also, Okezie Nmeregine representing Umuahia East State Constituency, also of Labour Party, was elected the Deputy Speaker.