Profiles Of The New 10th House Of Reps Principal Officers

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has announced the principal officers of the Green Chamber upon resumption of plenary.

Recall that  Abbas named Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo State) as the Majority Leader, Abdullahi Halims (APC, Kogi State) as the Deputy Majority Leader, Bello Kumo (APC, Gombe State) as the Chief Whip and Adewunmi Onanuga (APC, Ogun State) as the Deputy Chief Whip.

The Speaker also announced Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) as the House of Reps Minority Leader and Ali Madaki (NNPP, Kano) as the Deputy Minority Leader.

Below are the profiles of the new principal officers of the Green Chamber.

Julius Ihonvbere – Majority Leader

Julius Ihonvbere, a Nigerian professor, was born in Oyo, in the former Western Region. He represents Owan Federal Constituency of Edo State in the House of Representatives.

He received his education at CMS Primary School in Oyo, St. John’s CAC School in Warri, and Edo Boys High School in Ugbowo, Benin City, where he obtained the West African School Certificate.

He pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Combined Honors in history and political science at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University).

As a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ihonvbere held the position of Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education.

In his previous roles, he served as the Special Adviser on Project Monitoring and Implementation to former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Moreover, Ihonvbere contested the governorship position in Edo State twice under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). However, in 2007, he lost the governorship primaries to the former governor of the state, Osariemen Osunbor.

Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims – Deputy Majority Leader

Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims is a Nigerian politician and a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He represents Ankpa/Omala/Olamaboro Federal Constituency of Kogi State in the House of Representatives.

Ibrahim was elected to the House of Representatives in the 2019 general election and was appointed the Chairman of the House Committee on Steel.

Bello Kumo – Chief Whip

Usman Bello Kumo was born in Kumo, which is the headquarters of the Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.

He is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the lawmaker representing the Akko federal constituency of Gombe State in the Green Chamber.

Kumo was the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, a role he previously held in the Seventh Assembly.

Additionally, Kumo had served as the Chairman of Akko Local Government Area twice before his election to the National Assembly in 2019 and his re-election in the 2023 general election.

Adewunmi Onanuga – Deputy Chief Whip

Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga, also known as Yomi Onanuga, is a Nigerian politician who is currently a member of the 10th National Assembly.

Onanuga, who was born on December 2, 1965, in Hammersmith, London, to Nigerian parents, is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In 2019, Onanuga participated in the election for the position of Member of the House of Representatives, representing the Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency in Ogun State, Nigeria.

In the 9th National Assembly, she held the position of chairperson of the House Committee on Women’s Affairs and Social Development.

Kingsley Chinda – Minority Leader

Kingsley Ogundu Chinda, born on March 24, 1966, is a Nigerian politician who currently serves as a member of the 10th National Assembly.

Chinda, who hails from Elelenwo Town in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, represents the Obio/Akpor Constituency in the House of Representatives.

He attended State School 1 in Orogbum, Port Harcourt; Stella Maris College in Port Harcourt; Rivers State School of Basic Studies; and Rivers State University of Science and Technology in Nkpolu, Port Harcourt,

Chinda, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), graduated from the Nigerian Law School in Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1995.

Furthermore, Chinda is a partner at the law firm of Onyeagucha, Chinda, and Associates, with offices in Port Harcourt, Owerri, and Abuja. Known for his legal expertise, he has extensive experience in Class Action, Human Rights, and Environmental law.

Aliya Madaki – Deputy Minority Leader

Aliyu Sani Madaki is a Nigerian politician from Dala town in Kano State and a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

He had a successful academic journey, completing his secondary education at Government Secondary School in Kano and obtaining a National Diploma (OND) from Kano State Polytechnic in 1987.

He later pursued studies in Accounting at the Federal Polytechnic Mubi, earning a Higher National Diploma (HND). In 2015, he furthered his education with an MBA from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University.

In 2007, Madaki ventured into politics, initially running for a seat in the Federal Parliament under the AC Party but without success.

However, in 2011, he made another attempt under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and won the seat representing Dala Local Government.