The Senate of Nigeria has reversed parts of its recently amended Standing Orders following concerns that some provisions could conflict with the 1999 Constitution.
The reversal came just two days after the Senate amended sections of its rules to restrict eligibility for principal offices — including the Senate Presidency — to lawmakers serving a second term who were members of the 10th Assembly.
However, the latest decision only affects amendments made to Order 2(2) and Order 3(1) of the Senate Standing Orders 2026. The chamber retained the controversial Order 5(a), which limits eligibility for the Senate Presidency and other principal offices to senators returning from the 10th Assembly into the incoming 11th Assembly.
The motion to rescind the affected amendments was moved by Opeyemi Bamidele, who cited constitutional concerns and the need to preserve the integrity of the Senate’s legislative framework.
While leading debate on the motion, Bamidele explained that further legal and constitutional reviews revealed that aspects of the amendments under Orders 2(2) and 3(1) might conflict with provisions of the 1999 Constitution, particularly Section 52.
According to him, the Senate must ensure that its internal rules remain consistent with constitutional provisions, parliamentary conventions, and established legislative practices.
The move marks a notable adjustment by the upper chamber amid growing debate and criticism surrounding the amendments to the Senate Standing Orders.
Despite reversing parts of the changes, the Senate maintained its position on leadership eligibility by preserving the rule that restricts key principal offices to lawmakers who served in the 10th Assembly and secure re-election into the 11th Assembly.
