INDEPENDENT
The Senate leadership in a deft move on Tuesday barred new senators from contesting the positions of the Senate President, and the Deputy Senate President respectively.
The restriction is regardless of previous legislative experience in the House of Representatives or State House of Assembly.
The move followed an amendment of the Standing Order of the Upper Chamber, in a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) during Tuesday’s plenary.
The Upper Chamber amended the Order’s Rule 3 to state that any Senator vying for the positions of the Senate President and Deputy Senate must have served at least one-term in the Senate.
The Senate’s action however runs contrary to Section 50 (1) a & b which states that :
1 There shall be a –
a President and a Deputy President of the Senate, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves; and
a Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall elected by members of that House from among themselves
It further amended its rules to accommodate the creation of an additional nine standing committees, making the total 83.
Sponsor of the motion, Senator Opeyemi Michael Bamidele, while presenting the motion on the amendment explained that there were a number of rules that required amendment in order to give legislative support to more committees.
He said the amendment notice has been circulated to the Senators in accordance with Order 109 Rule 2 of the Senate Standing Orders.
Prior to the amendment, the Standing Order allowed all 109 Senators, irrespective of ranking, to contest the affected positions.
Recall that Senator Abdulaziz Yari, in June 2023, at the inauguration of the 10th Senate, hotly contested the position of the Senate President.
Senator Yari (APC Zamfara West), on account of being a member of the House of Representatives during the 6th National Assembly used his ranking status to contest against Senator Godswill Akpabio (APC Akwa Ibom Northwest ) for the position of Senate President which he lost.
Specifically, the amendment which falls under rule 3 sub 2, 1, 2 3 and 4 states: “A Senator vying for the office of President of the Senate or Deputy President of the Senate must have at least served in the Senate once.”
Other amendments made in the standing rules as differently put in motion by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central), and seconded by the minority leader, Senator Simon Mwadkwon ( PDP Plateau North) are for reflection of functions and jurisdictions of new standing committees created in August…
