Senators, on Tuesday, resisted an attempt to amend the Senate standing orders, widely perceived as a strategic move to ease the return of incumbent presiding officers in the next Assembly.
The amendment proposal, sponsored by Senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, sought to revise key sections of the 2023 Standing Orders but it immediately triggered murmurs from across the chamber.
Presenting the motion on his behalf titled ‘Amendment of the Standing Orders of the Senate 2023 to Accommodate New Committees and emhance legislative practice,’ Lola Ashiru argued that emerging national realities, new commissions and evolving governance needs made the updates necessary.
Three of the proposals, which set off immediate controversy, include:
1. Allowing Senators-elect to vote to elect the President and the Deputy President of the Senate before taking oath as prescribed in the seventh schedule of the constitution. The amendment would permit incoming lawmakers to elect the Senate President and Deputy Senate President even before being sworn-in.
2. Mandatory Prior Senate experience for presiding officers. Only senators who had completed at least one four-year term would qualify to contest for the top positions.
3. Stricter Ranking Rules. A new hierarchy placed former presiding officers and long-serving lawmakers at the top, while first-term senators could only contest if no ranking member was available.
A former Governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje, was first to object. According to him, “I propose that we remove 1, 2 and 3 entirely, as he targeted areas of contention in the proposal.”
However, the Minority leader, Abba Moro, followed with a point of order, quoting order 109 of the Senate rule book, he reminded the chamber that any amendment must be formally submitted, printed, circulated within seven days and listed on the Order Paper before debate.
He said: “Sir, have we honored this rule? Otherwise, we should tarry a little and follow due process.”
The chamber grew restless as senators exchanged murmurs and gestures. Senate President Akpabio, responding to concerns particularly about the ranking clause, warned that it could unfairly predetermine leadership outcomes.
“Number four means nobody will be Senate President if someone newly elected is the party’s candidate. Senator Yau with number four, you automatically become Senate President because you are a landlord here,” Akpabio said.
Akpabio, therefore, upheld Moro’s point of order.
“If we have not followed this process, then what we are engaging in is an exercise in futility,” he stated.
The motion is consequently stepped down to another legislative date.