Hon. Onofiok Luke emerges Akwa Ibom Speaker

Dennis Udoma, Uyo

Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has, Monday, elected Hon. Onofiok Luke as its new Speaker.

The former Speaker, Hon. Aniekan Uko, was thrown out by the Appeal Court in Abuja last Friday for election malpractices last April in his bid to represent Ibesikpo-Asutan State constituency.

Luke, who represents Nsit Ubium State Constituency was frustrated from becoming Speaker shortly after election by the powers that be but, by God’s providence he was unanimously elected Monday by members as replacement for Mr. Aniekan Uko who was defeated by the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate at the Appeal Court.

A two-term state legislator and the immediate past chairman, House Committee on Education Luke was unanimously elected by all the 26 members present at the session.

In the same vein, the House Deputy Leader, Mr Aniefiok Dennis (PDP) representing Etinan State Constituency has been replaced by Mr. Aniekan Bassey (PDP) representing Uruan Constituency.

The replacement of Dennis followed the Appeal Court’s nullification of his election.

The former Speaker’s election was nullified a week ago by the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja and a re-run ordered.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after their sitting, the new speaker, Mr Onofiok Luke, said that he ascribed his emergence to the will of God.

“We ascribe everything that happened today to God. Only God should take glory,” Luke said, while promising to work for the unity and progress of the state.

It would be recalled that the new Speaker was pioneer Speaker of the Nigerian Youth Parliament (NYP) and Personal Assistant to ex-Governor Godswill Akpabio before being elected into the state’s Assembly to represent Nsit Ubium for a second term where he served in various committees.

He is a philanthropist and has used his position to empower hundreds of youths of the state in entrepreneurial skills and agricultural vocations.