Nigeria: Senate Reverses Leadership Eligibility Rule
Lawmakers withdrew the rules after concerns they could narrow leadership contests and conflict with the constitution, prompting Oshiomhole to demand Akpabio’s resignation.
- On Thursday, the Nigerian Senate rescinded amendments to its Standing Orders following concerns that key provisions conflicted with the 1999 Constitution, reversing changes that had restricted eligibility for presiding and principal officer positions.
- The Red Chamber had amended its standing rules on Tuesday to narrow the field of contenders for leadership roles, appearing to shut the door on several high-profile hopefuls for the National Assembly in June 2027.
- Senator Adams Oshiomhole confronted Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday, labeling the process a "moral crisis" and warning against manipulating legislative rules to serve personal interests.
- Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele sponsored a motion to backtrack, arguing that clauses under Order 2, Subsection 2 and Order 3, Subsection 1 created "constitutional inconsistencies and unintended tensions" with Section 52 of the Constitution.
- Potential candidates impacted included Oshiomhole, Senators Hope Uzodimma, and Kabiru Marafa, while Oshiomhole noted that previous leaders such as Senate President David Mark attained their positions without changing rules to secure advantage.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Senate reverses leadership eligibility rule
The Senate on Thursday rescinded amendments to its Standing Orders after lawmakers raised concerns that key provisions conflicted with the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The Red Chamber had, on Tuesday, amended its standing rules to restrict eligibility for presiding and principal officer positions. These changes appeared to shut the door on several high-profile hopefuls for the 11th National Assembly in June 2027, including Senators Hope Uzodi…
Oshiomhole calls for Akpabio’s resignation over Senate rule changes
Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North/APC) has called for the resignation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio following the controversy surrounding the recent amendment to the Senate Standing Orders regulating the emergence of presiding and principal officers. Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Oshiomhole criticised the revised rules, describing them as evidence of what he termed a “moral crisis” within the Senate. According to him, …
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