New principal officers to pilot the affairs of the Joint National Assembly sessions in 10th Senate, House of Representatives, have emerged.
Godswill Akpabio, (APC, Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial zone, Akwa Ibom State), Senate president, on Tuesday, 4th July, announced the principal officers of the 10th Senate who were selected through a consensus.
In addition to Senator Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano North Senatorial District, Kano State) who was elected as deputy Senate President, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele from Ekiti State, emerged as the Senate Leader; Dave Umahi from Ebonyi State as the Deputy Senate Leader; Ali Ndume from Borno State as the Chief Whip; and Lola Ashiru from Kwara State as the Deputy Chief Whip.
Senate President Akpabio equally revealed the names of the minority principal officers. They are: Senator Simon Davou Mwadkwon (Plateau North – PDP,) Minority Leader); Oyewunmi Olarere (Osun West – PDP,) Deputy Minority Leader); Darlington Nwokeocha (Abia Central – LP), Minority Whip); and Rufai Hanga (Kano Central – NNPP, Deputy Minority Whip).
Similarly, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas,(APC, Zaria Federal Constituency, Kaduna State) also announced the new principal officers of the 10th House of Representatives.
The appointed officers, who will join Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu (APC, Bende Fed Constituency, Abia), the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, are: Hon. Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Owan East/Owan West Fed Constituency, Edo) as majority leader; Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims, (APC, Ankpa/Omala/Olamaboro Fed Constituency, Kogi) as Deputy Majority Leader; Hon. Bello Kumo (APC, Akko federal constituency, Gombe State,) as Chief Whip while Adewunmi Oriyomi Onanuga, (APC, Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North federal constituency, Ogun state) as the deputy chief whip.
Furthermore, Speaker Abbas read a letter from the Minority Caucus, which presented the names of the minority principal officers.
They are: Hon. Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Obio/Akpor Fed Constituency, Rivers) Minority Leader; Aliya Madaki (NNPP, Dala Fed Constituency, Kano), Deputy Minority Leader; Ali Isah (PDP, Balanga/Billiri Fed. Constituency, Gombe,) Minority Whip, and George Ibezimawo Ozodinobi (Labour Party, Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia Fed Constituency, Anambra) Deputy Minority Whip.
