- The Senate also amended its rules and created an additional nine Standing Committees
- The amended Senate Standing Orders now require senators to have served at least one term in the senate to contest Senate President and Deputy Senate President positions.
The Senate changed its standing rules on Tuesday, October 3, effectively excluding members serving their first terms from running for Senate president and deputy Senate president.
This action by the Senate came after Senator Godswill Akpabio lost his race to become Senate president to Senator Abdulaziz Yari, a first-term senator who had previously served in the House of Representatives.
First-term senators are no longer qualified or eligible to run for the job of presiding officer of the Red Chambers according to a recent revision to the Senate’s standing rules.
The amendment of rule 3(2) (1-3) of the Senate Standing Orders followed a motion moved by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC – Ekiti Central).
The motion was titled: “Amendment of the Standing Orders of the Senate pursuant to Order 109 of the Senate Standing Orders, 2022 (As Amended).”
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.
The Senate also amended its rules and created an additional nine Standing Committees.
The Senate presently has 74 Standing Committees.
Details shortly…