The speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the Federal House of Representatives of Nigeria, elected by its membership. The House Speaker is third in line of succession to the Nigerian Presidency, after the Vice President of Nigeria and the President of the Senate of Nigeria. The current House Speaker is Tajudeen Abbas who was elected Speaker of House of Representatives of Nigeria on 13 June 2023.
| Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria | |
|---|---|
since 13 June 2023 | |
| Legislative Branch of the Federal Government | |
| Style | Mr Speaker (informal) The Honourable (formal) |
| Member of | Nigerian House of Representatives National Assembly Commission |
| Seat | National Assembly Complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja |
| Appointer | Indirect House Election |
| Term length | 4 years renewable |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Nigeria |
| Inaugural holder | Sir Frederic Metcalfe (Colonial) Jaja Wachukwu (indigenous) |
| Formation | 12 January 1955 |
| Succession | Third |
| Deputy | Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives |
History
editSir Frederic Metcalfe of Great Britain became the first Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria after its inauguration on 12 January 1955 by John Macpherson. He was replaced by the first indigenous speaker, Jaja Wachuku, in 1959. As Speaker of the House, Wachuku received Nigeria's Instrument of Independence, also known as Freedom Charter, on 1 October 1960, from Princess Alexandra of Kent (Alexandra was Elizabeth II's representative at the Nigerian Independence ceremonies). Chaha Biam hails from Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State. He was elected to the House of Representative on the platform of NPN in the 1983 general elections and was elected as the Speaker of House of Representative in the short-lived second tenure of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, 1 October 1983 – 31 December 1983. Dimeji Bankole is the youngest Speaker in the history of the House of Representatives, elected at the age of 37.[1]
Selection and succession to presidency
editThe speaker is chosen in an indirect election conducted within the House of Representatives. The line of succession to the Nigerian presidency goes to the Vice President, and then the President of the Senate should both the President and Vice President be unable to discharge the powers and duties of office.[2] The Speaker of the House is the third in line of succession.
Office of the Speaker
editThe speaker is supported by their Chief of Staff
List of speakers
editFederation and First Republic
edit| Speaker | Term of office | Political party | Election | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | |||
|
Sir Frederic Metcalfe | 12 January 1955 | January 1959 | None | 1954 | |
|
Jaja Wachuku | January 1959 | 1 October 1960 | National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons | 1959 | |
|
|
Ibrahim Jalo Waziri | 1 October 1960 | 15 January 1966 | Northern People's Congress | 1964 | |
Military Government
editThe House of Representatives did not sit in this time.
Second Republic
edit| Speaker | Term of office | Political party | Election | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | |||
|
|
Edwin Ume-Ezeoke | 1 October 1979 | 1 October 1983 | National Party of Nigeria | 1979 | |
|
|
Benjamin Chaha | 1 October 1983 | 31 December 1983 | National Party of Nigeria | 1983 | |
Military Government
editThe House of Representatives did not sit in this time.
Third Republic
edit| Speaker | Term of office | Political party | Election | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | |||
|
|
Agunwa Anaekwe | 5 December 1992 | 17 November 1993 | Social Democratic Party | 1992 | |
Military Government
editThe House of Representatives did not sit in this time.
Fourth Republic
edit| Speaker | Term of office | Political party | Constituency | Election | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | ||||
|
|
Salisu Buhari | 3 June 1999 | 23 July 1999 | People's Democratic Party | 1999 | ||
|
Ghali Umar Na'Abba | 23 July 1999 | 3 June 2003 | People's Democratic Party | |||
|
Aminu Bello Masari | 3 June 2003 | 5 June 2007 | People's Democratic Party | Malumfashi / Kafur, Katsina |
2003 | |
|
|
Patricia Etteh | 5 June 2007 | 30 October 2007 | People's Democratic Party | Ayedaade / Irewole / Isokan, Osun |
2007 | |
|
Dimeji Bankole | 1 November 2007 | 6 June 2011 | People's Democratic Party | Abeokuta South, Ogun | ||
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|
Aminu Tambuwal | 6 June 2011 | 29 May 2015 | People's Democratic Party | Kebbe / Tambuwal, Sokoto |
2011 | |
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|
Yakubu Dogara | 9 June 2015 | 9 June 2019 | All Progressives Congress | Bogoro/Dass /Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi |
2015 | |
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|
Femi Gbajabiamila | 11 June 2019 | 11 June 2023 | All Progressives Congress | Surulere I, Lagos |
2019 | |
| Tajudeen Abbas | 13 June 2023 | Incumbent | All Progressives Congress | Zaria, Kaduna |
2023 | ||
References
edit- ^ "Nigeria Parliament Elects New Speaker Of The House". www.feedsyndicate.com. Archived from the original on 9 December 2007. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "Nigeria's Constitution of 1999 with Amendments through 2011" (PDF). Constitute Project. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
- Official website of the House of Representatives
- Assemblyonline, news agency on Nigeria's National Assembly
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