Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the Federal House of Representatives of Nigeria. Yakubu Dogara, the current speaker, was elected on June 9, 2015.
History
Sir Frederic Metcalfe of Great Britain became Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria in 1955. 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 October 1, 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, October 1, 1983 - December 31, 1983.
Selection and succession to presidency
The speaker is chosen in an indirect election conducted within the House of Representatives. The Speaker is third in line for succession to the Nigerian presidency, after the President of the Senate and Vice President.
List of Speakers
Name | Term | Party |
---|---|---|
Sir Frederic Metcalfe | 1955-1959 | |
Jaja Wachuku | 1959–1960 | NCNC |
Ibrahim Jalo Waziri | 1960–1966 | |
Edwin Ume-Ezeoke | 1979–1983 | NPN |
Chaha Biam | 1983 | NPN |
Salisu Buhari | 1999–2000 | PDP |
Ghali Umar Na'Abba | 2000–2003 | PDP |
Aminu Bello Masari | 2003–2007 | PDP |
Patricia Etteh | 2007 | PDP |
Dimeji Bankole | 2007–2011 | PDP |
Aminu Waziri Tambuwal | 2011 - 2015 | APC |
Yakubu Dogara | 2015 (Incumbent) | APC |
References
- Official website of the House of Representatives
- Assemblyonline, news agency on Nigeria's National Assembly