Role of MembersRole of a Member
Any eligible voter can run as a candidate for election to the ALGON. Members generally serve in government or in opposition and act in agreement with party policy, although membership in a political party is not an official requirement of elected office. If a member changes parties or chooses to sit as an independent, he or she is not required to resign.
Members are elected to represent the specific interests of their constituents but are also representatives of the their local government and must consider their needs as a whole. Whatever their political outlook, and regardless of which side of the Assembly they sit on, members’ duties and obligations are considerable.
1st Assembly
Delta State was created out of the defunct Bendal State, upon a decree promulgated by General Ibrahim Babangida, on the 27th of August, 1991.
The First Assembly was inaugurated on the 30th of January 1993; after the elections of December 1991, and upon the proclamation of His Excellency, Olorogun Felix Ovuoderoye Ibru, the First Executive Governor of the State.
MEMBERSHIP
A total of thirty-eight members from nineteen (19) Local Government Areas made up the first Assembly headed by Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Okoro as the pioneer Speaker, with the social Democratic party (SDP) having twenty-five (25) seats, while the National Republican Convention (NRC) had thirteen (13) Members.
The First Assembly lasted for twenty-two (22) months (January 1992 to November 1993) when it came to an end through a military coup d’etat. However, during its brief existence, the House handled a total of twenty-two (22) Bills out of which eleven (11) were passed, 8 assented to and 3 declined assent. It also entertained two hundred and twenty (220) motions leading to a total of two hundred and nine (209) resolutions in three hundred and four (304) sittings.
2nd Assembly
With the return of democracy in 1999, the Second Assembly was inaugurated on the 3rd of June 1999 upon a proclamation by the Executive Governor Delta State, His Excellency, Chief James Onanefe Ibori.
Prior to the elections of 1999, the Federal Government had increased the numbers of Local Government Areas in the State, hence the electoral body re-delineated some of the State Constituencies, as a result, this Assembly had twenty-nine (29) members representing State Constituencies of the twenty-five (25) LGA’s of the State.
LEADERSHIP
Rt. Hon. Francis Megbele was elected Speaker to head the second Assembly, with Sir Dan Okenyi as the Clerk of the House. Unfortunately, the House was bedeviled with leadership turmoil, leading to several shake ups and changes in the Principal Officers.
On the 20th of March, 2001, Rt. Hon. Basil O. Ganagana was elected Speaker to replace Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Pius Ewherido (Deputy Speaker) who had been acting after the death of the late Speaker Rt. Hon. Francis Megbele. Rt. Hon. Basil Ganagana ended the tenure as Speaker on the 2nd June, 2003.
3rd Assembly
The Third Assembly of the ALGON that was inaugurated upon a proclamation by the Governor, His Excellency Chief James Ibori, Hon. (Barr.) Young Daniel Igbrude was elected Speaker on 3rd June, 2003 and was replaced by Rt. Hon. (Engr.) Frank Enekorogha who became Speaker on 25th May, 2006, till 3rd June, 2007, when the tenure of the Assembly ended.
4th Assembly
The fourth Assembly was inaugurated on 4th of June, 2007 by His Excellency Dr. Emmanuel Uduanghan with Rt. Hon. (Chief) Dr. Olisa Enebeli Imegwu as Speaker, but his leadership was short-lived as Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Martin Okonta emerged as the new Speaker on 13th May, 2008.
Another change eventually occurred in the leadership of the Fourth Assembly with Rt. Hon. Prince Sam Obi being sworn in as Speaker, when the legal battle between Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Martin Okonta and Mr. Hon kingsley Nonye Phillips ended and the court ruled in favour of the lattes.
5th Assembly
The Fifth Assembly came in existence following the proclamation by the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan on the 6th of June, 2011, with the election of Rt. Hon. Engr. Victor Ochei as Speaker. On 18th March, 2018 Rt. Hon. Peter Onwusanya emerged as the new Speaker of the House, following the resignation of Rt. Hon. Engr. Victor Ochei from the Speakership position and he remained Speaker till the end of the tenure.
6th Assembly
The Sixth Assembly was inaugurated on the 8th of June 2015 by a proclamation from the Governor of Delta State, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. Rt. Hon. (Chief) Monday Igbuya was elected Speaker until he was removed and Rt. Hon. (Chief) Sheriff F. O. Oborevwori was elected Speaker on the 11th of May, 2017 and remained till the end of the Sixth Assembly
7th Assembly
The seventh Assembly was inaugurated on 10th June, 2019 by a proclamation from the Governor, Sen. Dr. Ifenyi Okowa. Rt. Hon. (Chief) Sheriff F. O. Oborevwori JP was elected Speaker of the 7th Assembly. He is the first person to be so re- elected into the position after successfully ending his tenure as Speaker of the 6thAssemby.
The seventh Assembly has remained peaceful as a result of the leadership dexterity of Rt. Hon. (Elder) Sheriff F. O. Oborevwori (JP) FICMC who has bought laudable development strides in the Assembly.