The speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the Federal House of Representatives of Nigeria, elected by its membership. The current House Speaker is Tajudeen Abbas who was elected Speaker of House of Representatives of Nigeria on 13 June 2023.
History Sir 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.
Selection and succession to presidency The 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. The Speaker of the House is the third in line of succession.
Office of the Speaker The speaker is supported by their Chief of Staff.
List of speakers
Federation and First Republic 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 14 November 1960 National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons 1959 Ibrahim Jalo Waziri 14 November 1960 15 January 1966 Northern People's Congress 1964
Military Government The House of Representatives did not sit in this time.
Second Republic 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 The House of Representatives did not sit in this time.
Third Republic 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 The House of Representatives did not sit in this time.
Fourth Republic 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,Osun2007 Dimeji Bankole 1 November 2007 6 June 2011 People's Democratic Party Abeokuta South,Ogun Aminu Tambuwal 6 June 2011 29 May 2015 People's Democratic Party Kebbe / Tambuwal,Sokoto 2011 Yakubu Dogara 9 June 2015 9 June 2019 All Progressives Congress Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa,Bauchi 2015 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
Official website of the House of Representatives Assemblyonline, news agency on Nigeria's National Assembly