Meet the new principal officers of House of Representatives

Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the House of Representatives, Tuesday, officially introduced the principal officers for the house.

In its usual manner, BusinessDay takes a look at the profiles of the new principal officers. From the top to the bottom principal officers in the House of Representatives are:

Bello Kumo – Chief Whip
Usman Bello Kumo is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and serves as a Member of the House of Representatives, representing the Akko federal constituency of Gombe State. He holds the position of chairman in the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, a role he previously held in the Seventh Assembly. Additionally, Kumo has served as the Chairman of Akko Local Government Area and has been elected to this position twice. He was born in Kumo, which is the headquarters of the Akko Local Government Area.
Regarding his party membership, Usman Bello Kumo is affiliated with the All Progressives Congress (APC). Among the six candidates elected by the APC’s primary election for the House of Representatives in Gombe State, he was the only one who successfully secured re-election in the 2023 general election.

Julius O. Ihonvbere – APC, House Majority Leader
Julius O. Ihonvbere, a Nigerian professor was born in Oyo, in the former Western Region.
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).

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As a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ihonvbere served as the representative for the Owan Federal Constituency of Edo State. He also holds 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.

Adewunmi Onanuga (APC – Ogun, Deputy Chief Whip)
Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga, also known as Yomi Onanuga, is a Nigerian politician and entrepreneur who currently serves as a member of the 9th National Assembly in Nigeria.
She was born on December 2, 1965, in Hammersmith, London, to Nigerian parents.
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.
She ran on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria’s governing party, and emerged victorious in the election. Subsequently, she took the oath of office as a member of the 9th National Assembly.
Within the Assembly, she holds the position of chairperson of the House Committee on Women’s Affairs and Social Development.

Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Minority Leader)
Kingsley Ogundu Chinda, born on March 24, 1966, is a Nigerian politician who currently serves as a member of the Nigerian National Assembly. He represents the Obio/Akpor Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives.
Chinda hails from Elelenwo Town in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. He was raised by Chief (Barr) Mrs. E.N. Ogan and later Chief (Barr) & Mrs. C.A.W Chinda, who acted as his guardians.
He attended State School 1 in Orogbum, Port Harcourt, Stella Maris College in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State School of Basic Studies, the Rivers State University of Science and Technology in Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, and the Nigerian Law School in Lagos. He 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 (NNPP, Deputy Minority Leader)
Aliyu Sani Madaki, a Nigerian from Dala town in Kano state, 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.