First-Time Senators Barred From Senate Presiding Officers Contest

VAM News Update

The Senate has amended its standing orders to stop first-term Senators from vying for the position of Senate President and Deputy Senate President.

The Senate amended its order during Tuesday’s legislative proceedings.

The amendment of Rule 3(2) (1-3) of the Senate Standing Orders follows a motion moved by the Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.

With the new amendment to the standing orders of the Senate, first-term senators are now excluded from those qualified or eligible to contest for the position of presiding officers of the upper chamber.

Rule 3 of the Senate Standing Orders as amended now stipulates that any senator wishing to contest for the position of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President must have spent a minimum of one term in the Senate.

This action by the Senate is likely in response to the leadership tussle before the swearing-in of lawmakers in the 10th Senate a few months ago when Senator Abdulaziz Yari, a first-term Senator contested against Senator Godswill Akpabio for the position of Senate President.

The Senate also amended its rules and created an additional nine Standing Committees. The Senate presently has 74 Standing Committees.