In a surprising move, the Senate Tuesday amended its standing rules to restrict eligibility for presiding and principal offices to senators who have served at least two consecutive terms.
The decision was taken amid speculation that former Senators, Hope Uzodimma, Ifeanyi Okowa and Ovie Omo-Agege are considering a return to the red chamber and a possible bid for the senate presidency in 2027.
It was against this background that the amendment was adopted following a voice vote during the plenary presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The amendment followed a closed-door session that lasted about three hours.
The revised rules stipulate that only senators with at least eight years of continuous service in the chamber can contest for the positions of senate president and deputy senate president
The senate also amended orders 4 and 5 to narrow the scope of eligibility for leadership positions in the 11th national assembly.
Order 4 provides that nomination of senators for presiding offices must strictly follow ranking.
Order 5 introduces an additional requirement for principal offices. It states that no senator shall be eligible to contest for any principal office unless he has served at least two consecutive terms immediately preceding nomination.
The amendment effectively excludes incoming senators in the 11th national assembly who were not part of the 9th and 10th senates
Presiding officers in the senate include senate president and deputy senate president.
Principal offices include senate leader, deputy senate leader, chief whip, deputy chief whip, minority leader, deputy minority leader, minority whip and deputy minority whip.
The amendment also affects potential aspirants for the 2027 leadership of the senate.
Adams Oshiomhole, the senator representing Edo north, was the lone dissenting voice as the senate adopted the resolutions by voice vote
Attempts by the former Edo state governor to raise a point of order were repeatedly rebuffed by the senate president.
“This was not what we agreed at the closed-door session,” Oshiomhole said as Akpabio read the resolutions
Before the amendment, any ranking senator — defined as one who had served at least four years — could contest for the presiding offices.
The senate also introduced additional changes to its rules
Order 8 (1) was amended to fix committee meetings between 3 pm and 6 pm from Monday to Friday, except on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
Order 8 (2) now provides that plenary sessions shall be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 am to 3 pm unless extended by the senate leader
Section 55 (11) was amended to allow presiding officers and nominees undergoing screening to drink water during the plenary.
Section 66 (8) was revised to require suspended senators to withdraw from the plenary as directed by the senate president, with the duration of suspension to be determined by resolution.
Section 94 (1) stipulates that committees shall have between seven and 25 members
It also provides that no senator shall serve on more than seven committees, with appointments reflecting the six geopolitical zones.
Section 96 was amended to include oversight of regional development commissions across the six geopolitical zones.
The senate also created a new committee on reparation and repatriation.
Akpabio subsequently directed Emmanuel Odo, clerk of the senate, to update the standing rules accordingly