Senate Presidents of Nigeria from 1960 to Date

Nigeria has had 15 Senate Presidents since independence in 1960. The current officeholder is Godswill Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom), elected on 13 June 2023 and still in post in 2026. The list below names every Senate President in order, their dates, state of origin and party.

The President of the Senate is the presiding officer of Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber. The 109 senators elect one of their own to the role at the start of each Assembly. The Senate President is third in the line of succession to the Presidency, after the Vice President.

Full list of Senate Presidents of Nigeria (1960–2026)

The 21-year gap between 1966 and 1979, and the breaks in the 1980s and 1990s, cover the military regimes when the Senate was dissolved.

Profiles of every Nigerian Senate President

1. Nnamdi Azikiwe (1960)

Azikiwe was Nigeria’s first Senate President, presiding over the chamber from 1 January to 1 October 1960. He went on to become the country’s first ceremonial President in 1963. Born in Zungeru to Igbo parents from Anambra, “Zik” learned Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba — a tri-lingual asset he used to build his pan-Nigerian political base.

2. Dennis Osadebay (1960–1963)

Osadebay, a poet-politician from the present-day Delta State, was elected Senate President on 1 October 1960. In 1963 he stepped down to become the first Premier of the new Mid-Western Region.

3. Nwafor Orizu (1963–1966)

Orizu, an Igbo prince and NCNC stalwart, served as Senate President until the January 1966 coup. With Azikiwe abroad, Orizu briefly acted as President in early 1966 — the only Senate President to ascend to the presidency through legal succession. He handed power to Major-General Aguiyi-Ironsi after the coup.

4. Joseph Wayas (1979–1983)

Wayas, from Obudu in Cross River, presided over the Second Republic Senate under President Shehu Shagari’s NPN government. His tenure ended when General Muhammadu Buhari’s coup toppled the Shagari administration on 31 December 1983.

5. Iyorchia Ayu (1992–1993)

Ayu, from Benue, led the short-lived Third Republic Senate. He later served as Education Minister and chaired the PDP National Working Committee from 2021 to 2023.

6. Ameh Ebute (1993)

Ebute, also from Benue, replaced Ayu mid-1993 and held the role until General Sani Abacha dissolved the Senate in November 1993.

7. Evan(s) Enwerem (Jun–Nov 1999)

Enwerem from Imo State was the first Senate President of the Fourth Republic. He defeated Chuba Okadigbo 66–43 with President Olusegun Obasanjo’s backing. An ethics committee found he had misrepresented his name (Evan vs Evans) and Okadigbo’s loyalists impeached him on 18 November 1999.

8. Chuba Okadigbo (1999–2000)

“Oyi”, a political scientist from Anambra, replaced Enwerem in November 1999 but was himself impeached in August 2000 over financial irregularities.

9. Anyim Pius Anyim (2000–2003)

Anyim from Ebonyi was the first Senate President born after independence. He later served as Secretary to the Government of the Federation under President Goodluck Jonathan.

10. Adolphus Wabara (2003–2005)

Wabara from Abia resigned in April 2005 after being indicted in a budget bribery scandal involving the Education Ministry.

11. Ken Nnamani (2005–2007)

Nnamani from Enugu is best remembered for presiding over the May 2006 vote that defeated President Obasanjo’s third-term constitutional amendment.

12. David Mark (2007–2015)

A retired brigadier-general from Benue and four-term senator, Mark is the longest-serving Senate President in Nigerian history (eight years across the 6th and 7th Senates). His deputy Ike Ekweremadu is the longest-serving Deputy (2007–2019).

13. Bukola Saraki (2015–2019)

A former Kwara governor (2003–2011), Saraki defected from PDP to APC before being elected Senate President in a chamber his own party did not control. He later returned to PDP and ran for president in 2019. He is the first ex-governor to lead the Senate.

14. Ahmad Lawan (2019–2023)

Lawan, an academic-turned-politician from Yobe, led the 9th Senate. He sought the APC presidential ticket in 2022 but lost to Bola Tinubu.

15. Godswill Akpabio (2023–present)

Akpabio, a former Akwa Ibom governor (2007–2015) and Niger Delta Affairs Minister (2019–2022), was elected Senate President of the 10th Senate on 13 June 2023. He remains in office in 2026 (source).

How a Senate President is chosen

The 109 senators of the new Assembly meet on inauguration day, take their oath, and then vote by secret ballot to elect a Senate President from among themselves. The candidate with a simple majority wins. The Deputy Senate President is elected the same way, normally on the same day.

Duties of the Senate President

• Open and adjourn Senate plenary sessions
• Chair joint sittings of the Senate and House of Representatives
• Rule on points of order and recognise speakers
• Appoint and remove the chairs and members of Senate committees
• Sign bills passed by the Senate before they go to the President
• Administer oaths to senators
• Stand third in the line of succession to the Presidency

Quick facts

• First: Nnamdi Azikiwe (1960).
• Longest-serving: David Mark, 8 years (2007–2015).
• Shortest-serving: Ameh Ebute (a few months in 1993).
• First Senate President born after independence: Anyim Pius Anyim (b. 1961).
• First Senate President born outside Nigeria: Bukola Saraki, born in London.
• Only one to act as Nigerian President: Nwafor Orizu (Jan 1966).

Common questions

Who is the current Senate President of Nigeria?
Godswill Akpabio, since 13 June 2023.

How many Senate Presidents has Nigeria had?
Fifteen, from Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1960 to Godswill Akpabio today.

Who was the longest-serving Senate President?
David Mark, who served eight years (2007–2015) under President Umaru Yar’Adua and President Goodluck Jonathan.

Is the Senate President second or third in line to the presidency?
Third. The order is President → Vice President → Senate President → Speaker of the House.

What party does the Senate President belong to?
The party with the majority of senators. Akpabio is APC, the same party as President Bola Tinubu.

Related

• List of Presidents of Nigeria from 1960 to date
• List of governors of all 36 states in Nigeria
• PDP membership registration
• Registered political parties in Nigeria