2023: Six of 10 Reps Principal Officers won't be at the 10th House

The tsunami recently witnessed in the February 25 2023 National Assembly polls held across the country has left people shocked. In this piece, OrderPaper Nigeria brings to the fore; winners and losers from the epic battle between the Presiding and Principal Officers in the House of Representatives

In the buildup to the 2023 National Assembly Elections, the coast appeared clear for majority of the Presiding and Principal Officers in the outgoing House of Representatives to return to the Tenth National Assembly.

Compared to the Senate, the outcome of the political parties primaries saw only one among this category of lawmakers lose the ticket of his party; while the chances of the other nine legislators emerging victorious at the general election very bright. The sad twist to reality however, is that five of these lawmakers will not have a seat in the Green Chamber come June 2023.

The Minority Caucus suffered the biggest blow however, as all the Principal Officers of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) that ran for elections lost, while only one Principal Officer in the Majority Caucus lost at the polls. The Chief Whip ran for a Senate seat and emerged victorious.

HOUSE PRESIDING OFFICERS

Speaker – Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos)
Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has been re-elected a 6th term as the lawmaker representing Surulere Federal Constituency 1 in the Green ChamberIn his 20-year stay at the House of Representatives thus far, Gbajabiamila has served as Minority Whip, Minority Leader and Majority Leader before he was elected as Speaker in 2019.
Deputy Speaker – Ahmed Idris Wase (APC, Plateau)
Rep. Ahmed Wase is one of the four Presiding/Principal Officers of the outgoing House of Representatives who would be returning to the Green Chamber in June.The lawmaker was on Saturday, re-elected for a fifth-term as a member of the legislative chamber.

PRINCIPAL OFFICERS (MAJORITY CAUCUS)
Majority Leader – Alhassan Ado Doguwa (APC, Kano)
Representing Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency of Kano State, Alhassan Doguwa, the controversial lawmaker won the polls for a sixth term.

The Majority Leader is however, currently in prison over a five-count charge, including culpable homicide, criminal conspiracy, causing grievous hurt, mischief by fire, and inciting public disturbance during the February 25 elections. He was remanded on Wednesday following an order of the Kano Magistrate Court, after his arrest by the Kano State Police Command.
Deputy Leader – Peter Akpatason (APC, Edo)
Representing Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency, the lawmaker won his re-election bid to the federal parliament.
Chief Whip – Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno)
Representing Marte, Monguno and Nganzai Federal Constituency, the lawmaker is one of two lawmakers from the Majority Caucus who will be absent at the Green Chamber come June 2023.His own case is however different as his bid to occupy the Borno North Senatorial seat in the Red Chamber was successful, having won the February 25 National Assembly Elections. He replaces the Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who resigned from the Senate upon his election into the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Deputy Chief Whip – Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (APC, Abia)
The fifth term bid of Rep. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha suffered a blow on Saturday as she lost the House of Representatives election to Amobi Ogah of the Labour Party (LP).The dream of the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency Representative to become Speaker of the 10th House as have been speculated, has thus been cut short.

PRINCIPAL OFFICERS (MINORITY CAUCUS)

Minority Leader of House – Ndudi Elumelu (PDP, Delta)
On his part, Rep. Elumelu who was first elected to represent Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency in 2007, lost his fifth term bid to Ngozi Okolie, of the Labour Party (LP).He his serving out this term in office as Minority Leader of the House, having emerged as the Leader of the Opposition Caucus in 2019.
Deputy Minority Leader – Toby Okechukwu (PDP, Enugu)
Rep. Toby Okechukwu had earlier failed to get the ticket of his party to continue as representative of his Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency during the PDP National Assembly Primaries in May 2022. Although his name was featured in the list of National Assembly Candidates from the Labour Party (LP) published by the election management body, the lawmaker insisted that he remain a PDP member. He is serving out his third term in the Green Chamber following his election in 2011.
Minority Whip – Gideon Lucas Gwani (PDP, Kaduna)
Rep. Gwani suffered one of the most shocking losses in the 2023 National Assembly Elections, losing to Donatus Mathew of the Labour Party (LP).The Minority Whip represents Kaura Federal Constituency of Kaduna State and has been in the House of Representatives since 2003.
Deputy Minority Whip – Adesegun Adekoya (PDP, Ogun)
Rep. Adekoya is also among the lawmakers from the Minority Caucus that failed to secure a return bid to parliament, as his party suffered a tsunami in the hands of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in his home state. Representing Ijebu North, Ijebu East and Ogun Waterside Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, he was first elected to represent his constituency in 2015.