2027: Senate setback as attempt to legitimise return of presiding officers collapses

….Plot Fails Amid Fierce Opposition and Procedural Questions

By Henry Umoru, Abuja

The Senate chamber was thrown into a tense standoff on Tuesday as a major move to amend the 2023 Senate Standing Orders, widely seen as a bid to secure the return of incumbent Presiding Officers after the 2027 general elections, suffered a significant setback.

The motion, titled “Amendment of the Standing Orders of the Senate 2023 to Accommodate New Committees and Enhance Legislative Practice,” was moved by Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) and presented by Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Lola Ashiru (APC, Kwara South). Observers viewed it as an attempt to shape leadership outcomes in the next Assembly.

Sensing potential tensions in the current Tenth Senate, the motion was immediately suspended following swift resistance from several senators. The amendments proposed sweeping changes to the 2023 Standing Orders, including:

Allowing Senators-elect to vote for Presiding Officers before taking oath, enabling incoming lawmakers to elect the Senate President and Deputy Senate President in advance.

Mandatory prior Senate experience for presiding officer candidates, requiring at least one full four-year term.

A ranking system giving former presiding officers priority, followed by returning senators, former House members, and first-timers last.

The proposals sparked immediate opposition. Former Gombe Governor, Senator Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe Central), called for the removal of key clauses affecting qualification and ranking for the Senate Presidency. Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), cited Order 109 of the Senate Rule Book, noting that proper procedures—including submission, printing, and circulation of amendments—had not been followed.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio intervened, acknowledging the confusion over the controversial ranking clause. He warned that the amendments could unfairly predetermine leadership outcomes, giving undue advantage to certain senators.

Ultimately, Akpabio upheld Moro’s point of order, striking the gavel to suspend further debate, effectively halting momentum for the proposed changes and marking a clear setback for proponents.

Observers note that the 2023 rule amendments, which bar first-term senators from contesting presiding officer positions, had previously prevented Senator Abdulaziz Yari from challenging Akpabio for the Senate Presidency. The failed motion underscores ongoing debates over procedural fairness and leadership succession in the Senate.

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