Section 53 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria

Section 53 of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 is about Presiding at sittings of the National Assembly and at joint sittings. It is under Chapter V (The legislature) of the Act.

(1) At any sitting of the National Assembly –
(a) in the case of the Senate, the President of the Senate shall preside, and in his absence the Deputy President shall preside;
and
(b) in the case of the House of Representatives, the Speaker of that House shall preside, and in his absence the Deputy Speaker shall preside.

(2) At any joint sitting of the Senate and House of Representatives –
(a) the President of Senate shall preside, and in his absence the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall preside; and
(b) in the absence of the persons mentioned in paragraph (a) of this subsection, the Deputy President of the Senate shall preside, and in his absence the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives shall preside.

(3) In the absence of the persons mentioned in the foregoing provisions of this section, such member of the Senate or the House of Representatives or of the joint sitting, as the case may be, as the Senate or the House of Representatives or the joint sitting may elect for that purpose shall preside.

Credit: Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC)