Abuja: The Senate has amended its standing rules, effectively eliminating the eligibility of new Senators-elect in the upcoming 11th National Assembly from aspiring for principal and presiding positions. This decision was made following a motion presented by Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru (APC-Kwara), during a plenary session on Tuesday, which followed a closed-door meeting lasting nearly three hours.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the amendment affects Order 4 and 5 of the Senate’s standing rules. The revised Order 4 specifies that the nomination of Senators for Presiding Officer roles will adhere strictly to the ranking of Senators. The order of ranking prioritizes Former Presidents of the Senate, Former Deputy Presidents, Former Principal Officers, Senators who have served at least one four-year term, and former members of the House of Representatives, with first-time Senators only considered if none of the above are available.
Additionally, the Senate has introduced a provision in Order 5 that bars new lawmakers from contesting for principal offices in the 11th Senate. This stipulation requires that any Senator contesting for a principal office must have served two consecutive terms immediately before nomination. Consequently, Senators who were not part of the 9th and current 10th Senate are ineligible for presiding officer positions in the 11th Senate.
The roles of presiding officers in the Senate include the President of the Senate and Deputy President, while the principal officers comprise the Senate Leader, Deputy Senate Leader, Chief Whip, and Deputy Whip.