The president of the Nigerian Senate is the presiding officer of the

Senate of Nigeria The Senate is the upper chamber of Nigeria's bicameral legislature, the National Assembly of Nigeria. The National Assembly (popularly referred to as NASS) is the nation's highest legislature, whose power is to make laws, is summarized in chapt ...

, elected by its membership. The senate president is second in line of succession to the Nigerian presidency, after the

Vice President of Nigeria The vice president of Nigeria is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the federal government of Nigeria, after the president of Nigeria, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. Officially styled vice presiden ...

. The current President of the Senate is

Ahmad Lawan Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan (born 12 January 1959) is a Nigerian politician and professor who has served as President of the Senate of Nigeria since 2019. He represents the Yobe North Senatorial District in the Senate as a member of the All Progressive ...

Selection and succession to presidency

The senate president is chosen in an

indirect election An indirect election or ''hierarchical voting'' is an election in which voters do not choose directly among candidates or parties for an office (direct voting system), but elect people who in turn choose candidates or parties. It is one of the old ...

conducted within the senate. The line of succession to the Nigerian presidency goes to the

Vice President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...

, and then the senate president should both the President and Vice President be unable to discharge the powers and duties of office.

List of Nigerian Senate Presidents

Trivia

Nwafor Orizu Prince Abyssinia Akweke Nwafor Orizu (17 July 1914 – 1999) was a Nigerian of Igbo origin who served as President of the Nigerian Senate from 1963 to 15 January 1966, during the Nigerian First Republic. Orizu was also Acting President of N ...

was the only Senate President of Nigeria ever to ascend to the Nigerian presidency through the

constitutional A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When these prin ...

order of succession. He was later forced to handover power to

Aguiyi-Ironsi Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi (3 March 1924 – 29 July 1966) was the first military head of state of Nigeria. He seized power during the ensuing chaos after the 15 January 1966 military coup, which decapitated the country's leaders ...

military junta. *

David Mark David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark , is a retired Nigerian Army Brigadier General and politician. He was President of the Senate of Nigeria from 2007 to 2015 and was the Senator for Benue South Senatorial District Benue State. He is a member of th ...

became the first person to retain the Presidency of the Senate and serve a second term in 2011. He and his deputy were re-nominated without contest. *

was the longest serving senate president (2007–2015) and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu was the longest serving deputy senate president (2007–2019). * Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki was the first civilian former governor to become the president of the Senate. * Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki was the first Nigerian Senate President not to be born in Nigeria, he was born in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

References

Official Website of the Nigerian Senate

{{President Nigerian Senate * Government of Nigeria Nigeria, Senate

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Senate (Nigeria)