While some of the lawmakers who will be inaugurated today have been at the National Assembly since the restoration of democracy in the country 24 years ago, others have spent at least 12 years in the federal parliament.
They have been at the National Assembly making laws for the country for years. Some have been there since the restoration of democracy in the country 24 years ago. Others have been there for at least 12 years. And that is because, unlike the executive arm with a maximum of eight years tenure, the tenure of lawmakers in Nigeria is statutorily limitless.
The lawmakers are not necessarily the nation's best, but their constituents keep re-electing them as their representatives in Abuja, perhaps because of the confidence they have in them or the cognate experiences they have acquired over the years. They took the oath of office during the inauguration of the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th sessions of either the Senate or the House of Representatives. Once again, these lawmakers take the oath today to take their seats in the two hallowed chambers, having been returned in the February elections as members of the 10th session of the federal parliament.
Behold Nigeria's longest-serving federal lawmakers:
Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North): President of the 9th session of the Senate, the 64-year-old former lecturer at the University of Maiduguri, his alma mater, has been at the National Assembly since 1999. He was first elected into the House of Representatives to represent Bade/Jakusko Federal Constituency of Yobe State on the defunct ANPP platform. In 2007, he moved to the Senate to represent Yobe North. He was re-elected in 2011 on the ANPP ticket and in 2015, 2019 and 2023 on the APC ticket. At the National Assembly, he has served variously as the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committees on Public Accounts, Education, Agriculture and Senate Leader before becoming the Senate president in 2019. Last year, he ran for the APC presidential primary but lost to Bola Tinubu, who won the 25 February presidential election. Although he is returning to the upper chamber today, Mr Lawan will not be in its leadership position.
Nicholas Mutu (Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency): Mr Mutu, like Mr Lawan, has been in the National Assembly since 1999. He was again re-elected in February for the seventh time to represent Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency of Delta State in the House of Representatives. The 63 years old former chairman of Bomadi LGA, a member of the PDP, once served as the chairman of the House Committee on Niger Delta Affairs/NDDC.
Wole Oke (Obokun/Oriade): Mr Oke is returning to the House of Representatives for the fifth time. Mr Oke, 56, represents Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun State. He was first elected to the lower chamber in 2003 on the platform of the PDP and got re-elected in 2007. However, he lost his reelection bid in 2011 but returned in 2015, 2019 and now 2023. Mr Oke has chaired the Committees on Defence and Public Accounts various times.
Alhassan Doguwa (Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency): Today's inauguration will be his seventh at the National Assembly, specifically, the House. Mr Doguwa, 58, representing Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency of Kano State, was first elected to the Third Republic House of Representatives in 1992 on an SDP ticket. After working as a political aide to former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and two former senate presidents, Mr Doguwa returned to the lower house in 2007 and has been there since then. He has chaired Committees on MDGs, served as chief whip and, most recently, the House leader. He recently shelved his ambition to be the speaker of the 10th House being inaugurated today.
Ali Ndume (Borno South): This 64-year-old former lecturer will be spending his fifth term at the National Assembly from today. Mr Ndume first entered the House of Representatives in 2003 and got re-elected in 2007 on the defunct ANPP platform to represent Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza. He was elected to the Senate in 2011 on the ticket of the PDP to represent Borno South and has since remained in the upper chamber though now a member of the APC. He served as the minority leader of the House, chairman of the Senate committee on MDGs, senate leader and chairman of the committee on the army. He lost the race for senate president to Ahmad Lawan in 2019. He joined the race recently to head the 10th Senate but pulled out to coordinate the Godswill Akpabio/Barau Jibrin campaign for the number one senate seat.
Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South): This former deputy governor of Abia State came to the National Assembly in 2007 to represent the southern senatorial district of the state on the ticket of the PDP. Mr Abaribe, 68, was elected five consecutive times in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023 for the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th sessions. Although he won the previous election on the ticket of the PDP, the former lecturer at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, is returning to the upper legislative chamber on APGA ticket. He had served in various committees of the Senate, including chairman of the media and publicity committee as well as the minority leader.
Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central): This senator assumed legislative duties in the upper chamber in 2007 on the ticket of the PDP after his eight-year gubernatorial tenure in Kebbi State. He was governor of the state
Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central): This senator assumed legislative duties in the upper chamber in 2007 on the ticket of the PDP after his eight-year gubernatorial tenure in Kebbi State. He was governor of the state between 1999 and 2007 on the defunct APP (later renamed ANPP) platform. He soon left the Senate in December 2007 following his appointment as the FCT Minister by President Umaru Yar'Adua. The 66 years old retired Customs officer joined the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) founded by former President Muhammadu Buhari and moved back to the PDP in 2012 and then APC in 2014 and has been in the senate since then.
Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central): He is a former minister of state and governor of Gombe State on the PDP platform. He served as governor between 2003 and 2011 and retired to the Senate that year. Today's inauguration will make him the Gombe Central senator for the fifth consecutive time, having been re-elected in 2015, 2019 and 2023 on the APC platform. Mr Goje, who represents Gombe Central, was senate committee chairman on appropriation and aspired to be the upper house president in 2019 but stepped down for Mr Lawan after a meeting with the then president, Mr Buhari.
Idris Wase (Wase Federal Constituency): Mr Wase will take the oath of office as the lawmaker representing Wase Federal Constituency of Plateau State for the sixth time. He first entered the House in 2007 and has been re-elected in subsequent elections. During this period, Mr Wase, 59, served as chairman committee on federal character, deputy House leader, and most recently, deputy speaker. He is an APC member and is running for the speakership of the 10th House today.
Muktar Betara (Biu/Bayo/Shani/Kwaya Kusa Federal Constituency): He is returning to the House for the fifth time, having been first elected in 2007 to represent Biu/Bayo/Shani/Kwaya Kusa Federal Constituency of Borno State on the ticket of the defunct ANPP. Now a member of the APC, Mr Betara, 57, was chairman of the House Committee on Army and Defence. He was the chairman of the appropriation committee in the Ninth House. Mr Betara was a speakership aspirant until Sunday, when he stepped down from the race.Beni Lar (Langtang North/Langtang South): She entered the House of Representatives to represent Lantang North/Langtang South Federal Constituency of Plateau State in 2007 and will begin her fifth term today. She was re-elected in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023. Beni, 56, the eldest daughter of the first Governor of Plateau State, Solomon Lar, is a member of the PDP. She has chaired various committees, including those on women's affairs and human rights, at different times.
Victor Nwokolo (Ika Federal Constituency): The 59-year-old lawmaker has been in the House of Representatives since 2011. He represents Ika Federal Constituency of Delta State. Today he will begin his journey for his fourth term, which will terminate in 2027. He served as vice chairman of the House Committee on Aviation and chairman of the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream).
Tajudeen Abbas (Zaria federal constituency): He is returning to the House for the fourth time, having been first elected in 2011. Mr Abbas, who will be 60 years in October, represents Zaria Federal Constituency of Kaduna State. He is a member of the APC. Mr Abbas, a former lecturer, is a leading contender for the speakership of the 10th session of the House.
James Faleke (Ikeja Federal Constituency): Although he is from Kogi State, Mr Faleke, who will be 64 in December, has been representing the Ikeja Federal Constituency of Lagos State in the House of Representatives since 2011. He is a member of the APC, and he is returning for the fourth term. He has chaired various committees of the House, the last one being the juicy and strategic finance committee.
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Ibrahim Gobir (Sokoto East): The 65-year-old senator is taking his seat today in the upper legislative chamber for the fourth time. He was first elected in 2011. He was appointed the senate leader in July 2022 after his predecessor, Yahaya Abdullahi, from Kebbi State, dumped the APC this year. He had chaired the senate committee on Trade and Investment.
Adeola Olamilekan (Ogun West): Popularly called Yayi, Mr Olamilekan is going into his fifth term as a member of the National Assembly. Though an indigene of Ogun State, the 53 years old was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2011 to represent Alimosho Federal Constituency of Lagos State on the platform of the defunct ACN. That was after he represented Alimosho State Constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly between 2003 and 2007. However, he moved to the Senate in 2015 to represent Lagos West Senatorial District and was re-elected in 2019, all on the APC platform. In the 2023 election, Mr Olamilekan moved back to his home state and will begin to represent Ogun West today. In his legislative career, he has headed several committees, including the public accounts committee of the House and Senate Committee on Finance, among others.
Femi Gbajabiamila (Surulere Federal Constituency): Mr Gbajabiamila was a step away from the club of sixth termers in the House of Representatives before being appointed as chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu. Just a little over three months after he won again to represent Surulere 1 Federal Constituency, the lawmaker bagged the appointment. The 61-year-old Gbajabiamla first came to the House on the ticket of Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 2003 and got re-elected in 2007 on the AC platform and then ACN in 2011 and APC in 2015, 2019 and 2023. During his 20 years stint in the lower chamber, he served variously as minority leader, majority leader and speaker. He is reputed to be one of the most experienced and outstanding lawmakers in the country.
