Nigeria: Senate Amends Rules for Electing Presiding Officers, Bars New Lawmakers From Aspiring to Positions
The revised rules also cap committee memberships at 25 and create a new reparation and repatriation panel.
- On Tuesday, The Senate amended its rules to require candidates for Senate President and Deputy Senate President to have served at least eight consecutive years in the chamber, announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio following a majority voice vote.
- Previously, any ranking senator—defined as one who has served at least four years—could contest for presiding offices. The new rule mandates service must be consecutive and immediately precede nomination.
- The Senate also introduced additional changes, including setting committee sizes between seven and 25 members and establishing oversight for regional development commissions in the South-west, North-central, North-west, South-east, and South-south.
- Edo North Senator Adams Oshiomhole, a first-term senator, is rendered ineligible to contest for leadership positions under the new eight-year consecutive service requirement.
- Following the adoption of these amendments, Akpabio directed Clerk of the Senate Emmanuel Odo to update the official Senate rules to formalize the changes.
18 Articles
18 Articles
Senate reverses amended standing rule, retains previous...
The Senate on Thursday rescinded the earlier amendments to Orders 2(2) and 3(1) of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended), retaining previous rules. The development occurred after lawmakers raised concerns that key provisions conflicted with the 1999 Constitution as amended. The senate had recently amended the standing rules, restricting principal leadership positions exclusively to lawmakers serving, at least, second terms. This had shut …
Senate makes U-turn on 8-year eligibility for presidency contest
By Henry Umoru, ABUJA The Senate has made a U-turn on its Tuesday’s decision as it has rescinded a controversial amendment that barred first-time senators from contesting presiding offices, reopening the 2027 race for Senate President and Deputy Senate President. On Tuesday, the Senate amended its Standing Orders after a marathon executive session with the introduction of stricter eligibility criteria for the emergence of presiding officers in t…
Akpabio's Senate different from those of 1999, others - Senator Nwebonyi defends new standing rules
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi has defended the Senate’s amendment of its standing rules, saying the move is aimed at preserving institutional memory and ensuring continuity in the upper chamber. Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television on Wednesday, Nwebonyi dismissed claims that the amendment was targeted at any individual, insisting it was designed to reflect the evolving nature of the legislature. He said the current Senate, under the l…
Principal Officers: Group commends Senate for amending standing rules
A citizens’ group praises the Nigerian Senate’s decision to amend its standing rules, limiting principal officer roles to ranking lawmakers with experience Read More: https://punchng.com/principal-officers-group-commends-senate-for-amending-standing-rules/
Nigeria: Senate Amends Rules for Electing Presiding Officers, Bars New Lawmakers From Aspiring to Positions
The new provision effectively means that only members of the current Senate who have completed at least eight consecutive years in the chamber will be eligible to contest for presiding offices after the 2027 general elections.
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