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In the Nigerian constitution, the Senate President is the second cadre for the succession to the Nigerian Presidency, immediately after the Vice President. The Nigerian Senate, known as the National Assembly, is the upper house of Nigeria’s bicameral legislature. Leading the Senate is the Senate President, holding the highest position within the chamber. The position is granted via election by the membership of the Senate.
Since Nigeria gained independence in 1960, there have been multiple Senate Presidents, each with their own political philosophies, accomplishments, and difficulties. In this blog post, we will highlight all of them.
Structure of the Nigerian Senate
The Senate consists of 109 Distinguished Senators who represent Nigeria’s 109 Senatorial Districts. Each 36 States in Nigeria has three Senatorial Districts, and the Federal Capital Territory has one. The Senate is led by the President of the Senate and the Deputy President of the Senate. The current senate president of Nigeria is Godswill Akpabio, while his deputy is Barau Jibrin.
List of Senate President in Nigeria
The list of the past and present senate president of Nigeria, their tenure and the political party they belong to are highlighted in the table below.
| S/N | Name of Senator | Tenure Span | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nnamdi Azikiwe | 1960 | NCNC |
| 2 | Dennis Osadebey | 1960-1963 | NCNC |
| 3 | Nwafor Orizu | 1963-1966 | NCNC |
| 4 | Joseph Wayas | 1979-1983 | NPN |
| 5 | Iyorchia Ayu | 1992-1993 | SDP |
| 6 | Ameh Ebute | 1993 | SDP |
| 7 | Ivan Enwerem | 1999 | PDP |
| 8 | Chuba Okadigbo | 1999-2000 | PDP |
| 9 | Anyim Pius Anyim | 2000-2003 | PDP |
| 10 | Adolphus Wabara | 2003-2005 | PDP |
| 11 | Ken Nnamani | 2005-2007 | PDP |
| 12 | David Mark | 2007-2015 | PDP |
| 13 | Bukola Saraki | 2015-2019 | APC |
| 14 | Ahmed Lawan | 2019-2023 | APC |
| 15 | Godswill Akpabio | 2023- | APC |
Currently, Barau Jubrin is the Deputy Senate President of Nigeria.
In 2013, the Senate President of Nigeria was David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was the first Senate President of Nigeria, serving from 1960 to 1963. Azikiwe was also a prominent Nigerian nationalist – he played a significant role in the country’s struggle for independence.
There are a total of 109 senators in Nigeria – three from each 36 states and one from the FCT. The Federal House of Representative, however, is made up of 360 Members representing each of the Federal Constituencies of the country.
Abdulbasit Toriola is an emerging voice in Nigerian cultural commentary and social analysis. From his corner in Lagos, he documents Nigerian history, current affairs, and explores the extraordinary journeys of Nigerians beating the odds. His works have been published on Africa Prime News and Opinion Nigeria. Connect with Abdulbasit on Twitter @blackboymusings for daily insights into Nigerian life and culture.
