Anambra’s incoming Senators for the 8th National Assembly and how they will fare

Former Anambra Governor, Mr Peter Obi said when the 8^th national assembly resumes in June, Anambra will be made proud because she elected top squads who will represent them. DAVID-CHYDDY ELEK

E looks at Anambra’s incoming senators and how they will fare.

The trio of Hon Mrs Uche Ekwunife, Senator Andy Uba and Princess Stella Oduah all from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP would from June begin representation for Anambra State in the red chambers of the National Assembly.

The trio have also been described as one of the best squad that will be coming from any state and it is expected that they will synergise to bring about development in the state especially as it has to do with infrastructural development, pushing the state governor’s Agricultural revolution to make for food sufficiency and effecting changes in the country’s law to accommodate Anambra as an oil producing state.

Among the incoming senators is Hon Uche Ekwunife, a current member of the house of representatives who is also ranked high in the house. She has been eight years in the house and has also held sensitive positions. Most people say the choice of Iyom as she is popularly called for this representation is apt as it is believed that if the proverbial national cake was to be shared on the floor of the senate, Anambra Central’s share will definitely not elude her.

The history of Anambra politics cannot be complete without her getting a fair mention for her contributions and dogged fight to occupy the governorship seat at different times. Iyom will further get the chance to assert herself and also show that she is still capable of delivering as a governor when she gets to the senate.

Another Senator for Anambra in the coming Senate will be Senator Andy Uba. A quiet but smooth and dogged fighter too. Uba nearly lost his sit which he also presently occupies to smooth talking and gentle manly former Vice Chairman of NCC Ernest Ndukwe. Uba may be a taciturn and lacks in speech power but his clinching for himself the juicy and sensitive committee chairmanship of INEC in the senate, even as a fresher in 2011 speaks volume of his person.

He was a respected kitchen cabinet member of the Obasanjo administration and had on a platter of gold won the Anambra governorship seat in 2007 and reputed also to have even scored more votes than registered voters in the state. Most people argue that Andy is a bench warmer in the senate but during the previous electioneering campaign, he insisted that he has met his campaign promises and will ensure robust representation if elected again.

Uba is a force in Anambra State and together with his younger brother, Chris Uba, they have consolidated their hold in Anambra State and especially in Anambra South where the younger Uba is still in court fighting to upturn his elder brother’s victory and corner it for himself.

The last senator from the state and who will represent Anambra North is a fresher in the game of lawmaking, she is Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, the immediate past minister of Aviation. Though she will be a rookie lawmaker, Oduah is no small name in the politics of Nigeria. With the controversy steered by her gift of bullet proof cars, Oduah attained a high height and her ability to emerge unscathed after the uproar further proved her strength. As she goes to the senate she may still have to contend with media who from time to time exhume the already dead scandal and asking for justice.

However just like Ekwunife and Uba, Oduah is not the type to be shunned by whoever emerges as senate president as she has seen it all and reputed to be wealthy, well travelled and very exposed too. She is expected to help the state governor with legislations that will ensure that the Northern part of Anambra State whioch is known as the state’s food basket attains its real status. Only time will tell how well Anambra reps in the senate will fare in the 8^th senate.