By Joy Yesufu
The Nigerian Senate has reversed the controversial amendment to its Standing Orders that restricted eligibility for principal offices to ranking lawmakers.
The development is expected to reopen the contest for key leadership positions in the 11th National Assembly, including the office of the Senate President.
The reversal followed a motion sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and adopted during plenary presided over by Deputy Senate President Jubril Barau.
Under the now-reversed amendment, only senators who had served two terms with one being the immediate term preceding nomination were eligible to contest for principal offices in the Senate.
The rule had effectively barred first-term lawmakers and other non-ranking senators from aspiring to positions such as Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Senate Leader, and other key offices.
With the latest decision, senators previously excluded by the amendment have regained eligibility to contest for leadership positions within the Red Chamber.
The reversal comes amid growing tension in the Senate following a heated exchange between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Adams Oshiomhole over the interpretation of the amended rules.
The disagreement erupted during plenary after Akpabio commenced the reading of the Votes and Proceedings of Tuesday’s sitting and Oshiomhole raised a point of order.
Akpabio ruled him out of order, citing the Senate Standing Orders 2023, which prohibit points of order during that stage of proceedings.
The confrontation triggered sharp debates among lawmakers and fuelled concerns that the amended rules were targeted at limiting competition for top Senate offices.
