Senate Reverses Controversial Oath-Taking, Voting Rule Amendments
Abuja – The Nigerian Senate on Thursday rescinded parts of its recently amended Standing Orders, barely 48 hours after introducing controversial changes relating to oath-taking and voting procedures for presiding officers.
The reversal, however, does not affect the contentious amendment to Order 5(a), which restricts eligibility for the offices of Senate President and other principal positions to senators who served in the 10th National Assembly and are re-elected into the 11th Assembly.
The upper chamber specifically overturned amendments made to Order 2(2) and Order 3(1) of the Senate Standing Orders 2026 following concerns that the provisions could conflict with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Leading debate on the motion to rescind the amendments during plenary, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said the decision became necessary after further legislative and constitutional scrutiny of the new rules.
According to him, the Senate discovered that the amendments introduced under the affected orders might contradict Section 52 of the 1999 Constitution, which guides legislative procedures and decision-making in the National Assembly.
Bamidele stressed that the Senate must ensure its internal rules align with constitutional provisions, parliamentary traditions, and established legislative practices in order to preserve the integrity of the Red Chamber.
The Senate thereafter adopted the motion and formally rescinded the affected amendments through a voice vote presided over by the Deputy Senate President.
The development marks another dramatic turn in the ongoing controversy surrounding the amendment of the Senate Standing Orders ahead of the 11th National Assembly leadership contest.
