A brief walk into the lives of Nigeria's Fourth Republic Senate Presidents

While five of them happen to be of the First, Second and Third Republic, the larger part of the number constitute the Fourth Republic.

Here's a brief walk into the lives of Nigeria’s Senate Presidents since 1999.

1. Evan Enwerem (PDP)

Born in Ikeduru, Imo State, on October 29, 1935, Evans Enwerem served as chairman of the Nigerian Airports Authority NAA between 1980 and 1983.

During the failed Third Republic, he was elected governor of Imo State in 1991.

Eight years later when the Fourth Republic came into being in 1999, Evan Enwerem was elected to the Nigerian Senate to represent the Imo-East Senatorial Zone.

He would go on to become the Fourth Republic first Nigeria Senate President after beating his chief rival, Senator Chuba Okadigbo, for the Senate presidency on June 3 with 66 votes to Okadigbo's 43 votes.

However, Evan Enwerem would not sit on the hallowed chair for long. He was accused of corruption and a Senate committee was set up for investigation: The allegations against Enwerem alleged that he falsified his name, and caused a controversy as to whether Enwerem's actual real name was Evan or Evans.

On November 18, 1999, Evan Enwerem was removed as Senate President but remained a member of the Senate until 2003.

He passed away on Aug 2, 2007.

2. Dr. Chuba Okadigbo (PDP)

After the impeachment of Evan Enwerem, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo succeeded him to become the second Senate President of the Fourth Republic.

But prior to that, Chuba Okadigbo was an assistant professor who later became an adjunct associate professor of philosophy University of the District of Columbia, adjunct assistant professor of politics the Catholic University of America, and adjunct assistant professor of politics Howard University from 1973 – 1975.

During the Second Republic, in 1979, he would be appointed as a Special Adviser to the then President, Shehu Shagari.

Dr. Chuba Okadigbo was elected to the National Assembly and, as earlier said, became President of the house after the impeachment of Evan Enwerem.

But just like his predecessor, he was charged with corruption and impeached on August 2000; thereby demoting him to the seat he once occupied before becoming the President of the house.

In 2002 Okadigbo decamped to the All Nigeria Peoples Party to become Muhammadu Buhari's running mate in the 2003 Presidential elections but lost to the People's Democratic Party candidates (Obasanjo and Atiku).

Born on December 17, 1941, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo passed away on September 25, 2003.

3. Ayim Pius Ayim (PDP

Born 19 February 1961, in Ishiagu, Ebonyi State; Ayim Pius Ayim was elected to the House of Assembly to represent Ebonyi south constituency.

He took office in the Senate in May 1999 and was appointed President of the Senate in August 2000, after Chuba Okadigbo had been impeached.

He would remain the Senate President for another three years.

After a collapsed attempt to impeach President Olusegun Obasanjo in June 2oo2, Ayim Pius Ayim refuse to contest in 2003, knowing fully well that under Obasanjo’s watch his effort and resources would surely be in vain.

However, he was appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

4. Adolphus Wabara (PDP)

Born June 1925, Adolphus Wabara became a senator in 1999 and was appointed President of the Senate from 2003.

After making an intelligent statement at the Commonwealth meeting in December 2003, which says that, "Responsive and responsible governance should be the keyword ... as it is the only instrument for promoting democratic values, wealth creation, and people’s empowerment," he was accused of corruption a few months later.

In May 2004, senators would move to investigate Wabara over alleged financial misdeeds; accusing him of exceeding his authority by handing out various contracts without the knowledge or approval of the responsible Senate committee.

However, Adolphus Wabara would deny the allegation; claiming that it was the plot of Igbo senators who wanted his position.

In April 2005 Wabara resigned from his position after allegations were made that he and others took a $400,000 bribe from the education minister, Fabian Osuji.

5. Ken Nnamani (PDP)

Ken Nnamani would become the Senate President after the resignation of Aldophus Wabara.

However, prior to that time, he had worked for Du Pont De Nemours International and Geneva and Nova Chemicals International as a marketing executive and later as a consultant having held both BBA and MBA degrees from the Ohio University in Athens.

Born on November 2, 1948, in Enugu, Ken Nnamani served as the Senate president from 2005 to 2007.

6. David Mark (PDP)

Born in Zungeru Niger State in April 1948, David Mark was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1970 and became a Captain in 1971 after attending Nigeria Defence Academy.

Thirty-six years after he became a captain, David Mark was elected to his position as President of the Senate of Nigeria on June 6, 2007.

Known for his blunt talk, David Mark once responded to the UK that they should keep their aid after they threatened to withdraw their support because of Nigeria's Prohibition of Same-Sex Marriage.

Having held the position form 6 June 2007 – 6 June 2015, David Mark, since 1999, has been the only Senate President to have held the position for eight years.

7. Bukola Saraki (APC)

Born December 19, 1962, to the family of Olusola Saraki, a senator (1979–1983) and a onetime Senate Leader of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bukola Saraki was Governor of Kwara State from 2003 to 2011 before he was elected to the Senate in April 2011.

After his re-election into the House of Assembly in 2015, he was elected to the position of Senate President and remained so till date (2018).

Prior to his political days, Bukola Saraki worked as a medical officer at Rush Green Hospital, Essex, from 1988 to 1989. He was a director of Société Générale Bank (Nig) Ltd from 1990 to 2000.

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