Senate Reverses Controversial Rule Changes on Oath-Taking, Voting Procedures

The Nigerian Senate on Thursday reversed portions of its recently amended Standing Orders following concerns over constitutional inconsistencies.

The upper chamber rescinded amendments made to Order 2(2) and Order 3(1) of the Senate Standing Orders 2026, barely two days after introducing sweeping changes affecting legislative procedures and eligibility requirements for presiding officers.

However, the Senate retained the controversial amendment to Order 5(a), which restricts eligibility for the offices of Senate President and other principal officers in the 11th Assembly to senators who served in the current 10th Assembly and secure re-election.

The motion to rescind parts of the amendments was moved by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who said further constitutional and legislative reviews revealed possible conflicts between the affected provisions and Section 52 of the 1999 Constitution.

According to Bamidele, the Senate must ensure that its internal rules align with constitutional provisions, parliamentary conventions, and legislative standards.

“The Senate possesses the inherent parliamentary authority to revisit, re-sit and recommit any matter previously decided upon in order to preserve the integrity of its proceedings and legislative framework,” he said.

The motion was seconded by Enyinnaya Abaribe and presided over by Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin.

Barau described the motion as straightforward, saying the Senate’s decision was aimed at ensuring conformity with constitutional provisions.

“There’s no need for debate in respect of this,” he ruled before the chamber adopted the motion through a voice vote.

Shortly after the decision, Senator Adams Oshiomhole reopened concerns over the amendment process through a point of order, warning against suppressing dissenting opinions during legislative proceedings.

“The next time, we should allow debate. That’s it,” Oshiomhole stated.

His intervention followed Wednesday’s tense exchange with Senate President Godswill Akpabio after he was ruled out of order during plenary.

Responding, Bamidele cautioned lawmakers against turning Senate proceedings into “drama,” insisting that senators dissatisfied with previous decisions should formally present motions in line with Order 52(6) of the Senate Rules rather than interrupt proceedings on the floor.

The development highlights growing debate within the Senate over recent procedural amendments and their implications for the leadership structure of the 11th National Assembly.