The Nigerian Senate has reversed the amendment of its Standing Orders.
The development is expected to reignite the race for leadership roles in the 11th National Assembly.
The amendment of the Senate’s Standing Orders had restricted eligibility for the principal offices to ranking senators, blocking new entrants from positions such as Senate President and others.
The reversal followed a motion sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and adopted under the supervision of Deputy Senate President Jubril Barau.
Under the amended Standing Orders, only senators who had served two terms were eligible to contest for principal offices, and one of the two terms had to be the immediate term preceding the nomination.
With the reversal, senators who were previously blocked from contesting for the Senate presidency and other principal offices now qualify for the positions.
This comes after a clash between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Adams Oshiomhole over the interpretation of the amended Standing Rules.
The disruption began after Akpabio commenced the reading of the Votes and Proceedings of Tuesday’s sitting and Oshiomhole, APC, Edo North, raised a point of order.
Akpabio ruled him out of order, citing the 2023 Standing Rules, which prohibit points of order during that stage of proceedings.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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