Senate amends rules, restricts leadership positions to two-term senators

The senate has amended its standing rules to restrict eligibility for presiding and principal offices to senators who have served at least two consecutive terms. The amendment was adopted on Tuesday following a voice vote presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The decision comes amid speculation that former senators Hope Uzodimma, Ifeanyi Okowa and Ovie Omo-Agege are considering a return to the red chamber and a possible bid for the senate presidency in 2027. The revised rules stipulate that only senators with at least eight years of continuous service in the chamber can contest for the positions of senate president and deputy senate president. The amendment followed a closed-door session that lasted about three hours. The senate also amended orders 4 and 5 to narrow the scope of eligibility for leadership positions in the 11th national assembly. Order 4 provides that nomination of senators for presiding offices must strictly follow ranking. The ranking includes the former senate president, former deputy senate president, former principal officers, senators who have served at least one term, former members of the house of representatives, and first-time senators where others are unavailable. Order 5 introduces an additional requirement for principal offices. It states that no senator shall be eligible to contest for any principal office unless he has served at least two consecutive terms immediately preceding nomination. The amendment effectively excludes incoming senators in the 11th national assembly who were not part of the 9th and 10th senates. Presiding offices in the senate include senate president and deputy senate president. Principal offices include senate leader, deputy senate leader, chief whip, deputy chief whip, minority leader, deputy minority leader, minority whip and deputy minority whip. The amendment also affects potential aspirants for the 2027 leadership of the senate. Adams Oshiomhole, the senator representing Edo north,...