The Senate has reversed its recent amendment to the Standing Orders, allowing all duly elected senators to participate in the election of presiding officers without first taking the Oath of Office and Allegiance. The reversal removes a prior requirement that only senators-elect who had taken the oath under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution could vote in leadership elections. The decision follows a motion by Senator Jibrin Barau, who cited potential constitutional inconsistencies and unintended tensions arising from the earlier amendment to Section 2, Subsection 2, and Section 3, Subsection 1 of the Standing Orders. The resolution was adopted during a plenary session presided over by Deputy Senate President Barau.
Before the reversal, the amended rules had restricted participation in Senate proceedings, including leadership elections, to those who had taken the oath. The development sparked tension in the chamber when Senator Adams Oshiomhole raised a point of order to clarify his earlier position, which had led to a disagreement with the Senate President. Deputy Senate President Barau ruled Oshiomhole out of order, stating the matter had already been resolved. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele referenced existing rules, urging that further concerns be brought through a substantive motion. Bamidele also told Oshiomhole to stop what he called "drama" on the Senate floor, referring to exchanges from the previous day's session.
The Senate reversed a rule it just introduced, exposing the lack of foresight in its initial amendment on leadership eligibility. By requiring the oath one day and dropping it the next, the Senate has created uncertainty over who can legitimately contest for Senate President in 2027. Senators like Oshiomhole, who questioned the process, were silenced despite raising early concerns now proven valid. The reversal suggests the rules were rushed, leaving lawmakers to navigate shifting grounds in a high-stakes political contest.
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