The Senate of Nigeria has reversed part of its recently amended Standing Orders following concerns over possible constitutional conflicts linked to provisions governing oath-taking and voting procedures for presiding officers.
The decision came barely two days after the upper chamber amended sections of its rules restricting eligibility for principal offices, including the Senate Presidency, to senators who are serving a second term and were members of the 10th Assembly.
However, Thursday's reversal specifically affected the amendments made to Order 2(2) and Order 3(1) of the Senate Standing Orders 2026, while leaving untouched the controversial Order 5(a), which limits eligibility for the Senate Presidency and other principal offices to lawmakers returning from the 10th Assembly into the 11th Assembly.
The motion to rescind the affected amendments was moved by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who cited constitutional concerns and the need to protect the integrity of the legislative framework guiding the Senate.
Leading debate on the motion, Bamidele explained that after further legal and constitutional review, the Senate discovered that aspects of the amendments introduced under Order 2(2) and Order 3(1) may conflict with provisions of the 1999 Constitution, particularly Section 52.
According to him, the Senate must ensure that its internal rules align with constitutional provisions, parliamentary traditions, and established legislative practices.
The development marks a significant shift in the chamber's position following criticism and debate surrounding the recent amendments to its Standing Orders.
Despite the reversal, the Senate retained the provision restricting eligibility for key leadership positions to lawmakers who served in the 10th Assembly and are re-elected into the incoming 11th Assembly.
