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After the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we have the vice president. The next in line is the Senate president. As you’ve previously learnt, we have 109 senators in Nigeria that are picked across the 36 States in Nigeria. All these senators are headed by a single senate president. The function of the Senate in Nigeria is to make laws, represent the interests of states, and check the power of the executive branch.
The Senate is said to be the upper chamber of Nigeria’s bicameral legislature. Another name for the Senate is the National Assembly. The National Assembly, popularly known as NASS, is the nation’s legislature and has the power to make laws and also put the Executive. The roles and responsibilities of the Senate are summarized in Chapter One, Section Four of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria [read here]. Note that the lower chamber of Nigeria’s bicameral legislature is the House of Representatives.
This article highlights all the senate presidents Nigeria ever had, alongside their tenure and their party. Let’s get into it!
DID YOU KNOW? 🤔🇳🇬
The Senate has the sole authority to try and remove the President or Vice President from office in cases of gross misconduct or inability to perform their duties.
List of Senate President in Nigeria
NB: Please slide from right to left if the whole table is not visible on your screen.
| S/N | Senate President ____ | Term/Tenure__ | Party__ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nnamdi Azikwe | 1960 | NCNC |
| 2 | Dennis Ossadebay | 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 | Evan 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 till date | APC |
Frequently Asked Questions
The first Senate president of Nigeria is Nnamdi Azikiwe.
The current Senate president of Nigeria is in Godswill Akpabio.
There are 109 senators in Nigeria. Each 36 states has 3 while the FCT has 1.
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.
