Yakubu Dogara, the Speaker of the House of Representative on Thursday announced the names of Chairmen and deputies of the House’s 96 committees with the exception of the committee in charge of the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs.
The Speaker did try to ensure balance in the distribution of positioning into the various committees by the various contending parties. Appropriation is chaired by Abdulmunin Jibrin, Rima Shawulu Kwewum heads Army, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Aviation, Zakari Mohammed, Basic Education, Chike Okafor, Healthcare Services and Aminu Shehu Shagari, Federal Judiciary.
Customs is headed by James Faleke, and Rufa’i Chachangi as the Vice Chairman of the committee, Sani Zoro heads the newly created Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, and Garba Muhammed as the committee chairman on Solid Minerals.
There was also a balance between the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as the ruling party APC, heads 48 committees, PDP 45, while All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and the Social Democratic Party, SDP got one chairmanship slot each. In the composition, the South heads 46 committees while the North heads 50.
The South-East was compensated with Chike Okafor and Austin Chukwukere being made chairman Healthcare Services and Vice Chairman, Finance respectively. Six members retained the positions they held in the 7th Assembly. They are Jones Onyeriri, Banking and Currency, Nkeiruka Onyejiocha, Aviation, Nnenna Ukeje, Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Munguno, Agriculture, Shehu Shagari, Judiciary, Nicholas Mutu, NDDC, and Aminu Suleiman, Education.
The new committees announced by the Speaker were Agricultural Colleges and Institutions chaired by Linus Okorie, Basic Education and Services, chaired by Muhammed Zakari, and Delegated Legislation, headed by Simeon Arabo,
Others are: FCT Judiciary, Laori Kwamoti, Health Institutions,Betty Apiafi, IDPs Refugees and Initiatives on North East, headed by Sani Zoro, Insurance and Actuarial Matters, Olufemi Fakeye, and Tertiary Education and Services, which is chaired by Aminu Suleiman.
