The Senate is the upper chamber of Nigeria's bicameral legislature, the National Assembly. The National Assembly (popularly referred to as NASS) is the nation's legislature and has the power to make laws, as summarized in chapter one, section four of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.[1][2] The lower chamber is the House of Representatives.
Senate | |
|---|---|
| 10th National Assembly | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
Term limits | None |
| History | |
New session started | 13 June 2023 |
| Leadership | |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
Majority Whip | |
Minority Whip | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 109 |
 | |
Political groups | Majority (58)
Minority (37) Others (13)
Vacant (1)
|
Length of term | 4 years |
| Elections | |
| First-past-the-post voting | |
Last election | 25-26 February 2023 |
Next election | 27 February 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
.jpg) | |
| National Assembly Complex Abuja, FCT, Nigeria | |
| Website | |
| www | |
| Constitution | |
| Constitution of Nigeria | |
| Rules | |
| placng | |
The President of the Senate is the presiding officer of the Senate, whose chief function is to guide and regulate the proceedings in the Senate. The Senate President is second in the Nigerian presidential line of succession. He is assisted by the Deputy President of the Senate. The current President is Sen. Godswill Akpabio while the current Deputy President is Sen. Barau Jibrin, both members of the APC.[3] The Senate President and his deputy are assisted by principal officers including the Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip, Minority Whip, and Deputy Minority Whip. In addition, there are 63 Standing Committees in the Senate chaired by Committee Chairmen.[4]
Composition
editThe Senate consists of 109 senators. The 36 states of Nigeria are each divided into 3 senatorial districts, with each district electing one senator using the first-past-the-post electoral system. The Federal Capital Territory elects only one senator at-large, also using first-past-the-post.
Senators serve a term of four years. There are no term limits[5] and senators can remain in the chamber for as long as they are re-elected in general elections.
The majority party is the party that has a majority of seats, either alone or as the main party of a coalition or caucus. If two or more parties are tied, the Senate President's affiliation determines which party becomes the majority party. The second largest party is the minority party.
State delegations
editFunctions of the Senate
editLegislation
editBills may be introduced in either chamber of the National Assembly.[6]
Checks and balances
editThe constitution provides several unique functions for the Senate that form its ability to "check and balance" other elements of the Federal Government of Nigeria.[7][8] These include the requirement that the Senate may advise and must consent to some of the President's government appointments; also the Senate must consent to all treaties with foreign governments and it tries all impeachments.
References
edit- ^ Federal Republic of Nigeria, National Assembly. "Administration". Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ^ Federal Republic of Nigeria, National Assembly. "History And Roles". Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ^ Federal Republic of Nigeria, National Assembly. "Principal Officers of The Senate". Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ^ Federal Republic of Nigeria, National Assembly. "Find a Committee". Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ^ "Pardoned for Senate". 7 August 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
- ^ Article 58 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999)
- ^ Federal Republic of Nigeria, National Assembly. "Senate Constitutional Role". Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ^ Federal Republic of Nigeria, National Assembly. "Senate Constitutional Role". Retrieved 7 August 2018.
External links
editNotes
edit- ^ Abaribe was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in May 2022.
- ^ Abbo was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in November 2020.
- ^ Akpan was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the YPP in July 2022.
- ^ The PDP's Ekpenyong was elected senator in 2019 but a Court of Appeal partially annulled the results and called a supplementary election in the affected areas. Ekpenyong won the ensuing rerun election and was sworn-in again in January 2020.
- ^ Oduah was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in August 2021 before returning to the PDP in April 2022.
- ^ Jika was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in June 2022.
- ^ Bulkachuwa was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in November 2022.
- ^ Gumau was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in May 2022.
- ^ The PDP's Douye Diri was elected senator in 2019 but resigned in February 2020 after winning election to become Bayelsa State Governor. Cleopas won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
- ^ The PDP's Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo was elected senator in 2019 but resigned in February 2020 after winning election to become Bayelsa State Deputy Governor. Dickson won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
- ^ a b In April 2022, Adamu and Kyari resigned from the Senate after taking APC party offices the month prior.
- ^ The PDP's Rose Okoji Oko was elected senator in 2019 but died in March 2020. Jarigbe and fellow PDP member Stephen Odey fought in court over the ensuing by-election's PDP nomination; Odey won both initial court decisions and the by-election before taking office late in December 2020. However, Jarigbe later won several court challenges which declared him the legitimate PDP nominee and thus senator. Jarigbe took office in September 2021.
- ^ Nwaoboshi was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in June 2021.
- ^ Alimikhena was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in June 2022.
- ^ The APC's Adedayo Clement Adeyeye was elected senator in 2019 but the NASS Election Petition Tribunal awarded and Court of Appeal affirmed the win to Olujimi. She took office in November 2019.
- ^ Onyewuchi was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the LP in June 2022.
- ^ Due to disputes over alleged irregularities, the APC's Benjamin Uwajumogu was not sworn in until July 2019. Uwajumogu died in December 2019 leading to a bye-election. After disputes, Ibezim was awarded the bye-election victory and took office in April 2021.
- ^ Due to disputes over the alleged forced declaration of his election, Okorocha was not sworn in until June 14, 2019.
- ^ Shekarau was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in May 2022 then to the PDP in August 2022.
- ^ Babba Kaita was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in April 2022.
- ^ Aliero was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in May 2022.
- ^ Abdullahi was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in June 2022.
- ^ The PDP's Dino Melaye was elected senator in 2019 but Adeyemi petitioned against the results and the NASS Election Petition Tribunal annulled the results and called a new election. Adeyemi won the ensuing rerun election and took office in December 2019.
- ^ The APC's Adebayo Osinowo was elected senator in 2019 but died in June 2020. Abiru won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
- ^ Akwashiki was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the SDP in July 2022.
- ^ The APC's David Umaru was elected senator in 2019 but the Supreme Court awarded the APC primary win to Musa making him senator. He took office in July 2019.
- ^ Balogun was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in May 2022.
- ^ The APC's Ignatius Datong Longjan was elected senator in 2019 but died in February 2020. Daduut won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
- ^ The APC's Abubakar Shehu Tambuwal was elected senator in 2019 but a Court of Appeal awarded the win to Abdullahi Danbaba. He took office in November 2019 as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in April 2022.
- ^ Bwacha was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in February 2022.
- ^ a b c Prior to inauguration, the APC's Zamfara votes were voided due to improper holding of party primaries. Thus the PDP runners-up took office. All three (Anka, Hassan Muhammed Gusau, Yaú) switched to the APC in June 2021. In February 2022, Muhammed Gusau resigned to become Zamfara Deputy Governor.