The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the Federal House of Representatives

House of Representatives of Nigeria

The House of Representatives of Nigeria is the lower house of the country's bicameral National Assembly. The Senate of Nigeria is the upper house....

 of Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...

. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal

Aminu Waziri Tambuwal

Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria. He is a People's Democratic Party member and represents the Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency of Sokoto State.-Early life and education:Right Hon...

, the current speaker, was elected on June 6, 2011.

History

From 1959 to 1960, Jaja Wachuku

Jaja Wachuku

Jaja Anucha Wachuku , a Royal Prince of Ngwaland, "descendant of 20 generations of African chiefs in the Ibo country of Eastern Nigeria" - was a Pan-Africanist; and a globally distinguished Nigerian statesman, lawyer, politician, diplomat and humanitarian...

 was the first indigenous Speaker

Speaker (politics)

The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...

 of the House of Representatives. Wachuku replaced Sir Frederic Metcalfe of Great Britain

Great Britain

Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

. As first Speaker of the House, Wachuku received Nigeria's Instrument of Independence

Independence

Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....

, also known as the Freedom Charter, on October 1, 1960, from Princess Alexandra of Kent

Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy

Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy is the youngest granddaughter of King George V of the United Kingdom and Mary of Teck. She is the widow of Sir Angus Ogilvy...

 (Alexandra was Elizabeth II's representative at the Nigerian Independence ceremonies).

Selection and succession to presidency

The speaker is chosen in an indirect election

Indirect election

Indirect election is a process in which voters in an election don't actually choose between candidates for an office but rather elect persons who will then make the choice. It is one of the oldest form of elections and is still used today for many upper houses and presidents...

 conducted within the House of Representatives. The Speaker is third in line for succession to the Nigerian presidency

President of Nigeria

The President of Nigeria is the Head of State and head of the national executive. Officially styled President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The current President of Nigeria is Goodluck Jonathan.-History:On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained...

, after the President of the Senate and Vice President

Vice President of Nigeria

The Vice President of Nigeria is the second-in-command to the President of Nigeria in the Government of Nigeria. Officially styled Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.The Vice President is elected alongside the President in national elections...

.

List of Speakers

Name	Term	Party
Jaja Wachuku Jaja Wachuku Jaja Anucha Wachuku , a Royal Prince of Ngwaland, "descendant of 20 generations of African chiefs in the Ibo country of Eastern Nigeria" - was a Pan-Africanist; and a globally distinguished Nigerian statesman, lawyer, politician, diplomat and humanitarian...	1959–1960	NCNC National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons , was a Nigerian political party from 1944 to 1966. The name included 'Cameroons' because Cameroon had become an administrative part of Nigeria in 1945. Cameroon had been a colonial territory of Germany...
Ibrahim Jalo Waziri	1960–1966
Edwin Ume-Ezeoke	1979–1983	NPN National Party of Nigeria The National Party of Nigeria was the dominant political party in Nigeria during the Second Republic .-Formation:The party's beginning could be traced to private and sometimes secret meetings among key Northern Nigerian leaders after the proscription of political parties in 1966 by the military...
Salisu Buhari	1999–2000	PDP People's Democratic Party (Nigeria) The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
Ghali Umar Na'Abba Ghali Umar Na'Abba Ghali Umar Na'Abba is a Nigerian businessman and politician, a member of the People's Democratic Party who represented the Kano Municipal Federal constituency of Kano State from 1999 to 2003.-Background:...	2000–2003	PDP People's Democratic Party (Nigeria) The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
Aminu Bello Masari	2003–2007	PDP People's Democratic Party (Nigeria) The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
Patricia Etteh Patricia Etteh Patricia Olubunmi Foluke Etteh was the Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives from June until October 2007.-Personal life and education:Etteh, a Yoruba, was born on 17 August 1953...	2007	PDP People's Democratic Party (Nigeria) The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
Dimeji Bankole Dimeji Bankole Oladimeji Sabur Bankole is a Nigerian politician and former Speaker of the House of Representatives. The son of Abeokuta chief, Alani Bankole, he was a businessman before being elected to the House...	2007–2011	PDP People's Democratic Party (Nigeria) The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
Aminu Waziri Tambuwal Aminu Waziri Tambuwal Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria. He is a People's Democratic Party member and represents the Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency of Sokoto State.-Early life and education:Right Hon...	Since 2011	PDP People's Democratic Party (Nigeria) The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...