The Nigerian Senate has amended its standing rules to limit eligibility for presiding and principal offices to lawmakers who have served at least two consecutive terms in the chamber.
The decision was adopted during plenary on Tuesday after a voice vote presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Under the new rules, only senators with a minimum of eight years continuous service will be eligible to contest for positions such as Senate President and Deputy Senate President. The amendment also affects other principal offices including Senate Leader, Chief Whip, and Minority Leader.
The revision follows a closed-door session that lasted about three hours and is seen as a move that could reshape the leadership structure of the 11th National Assembly.
The updated rules introduce stricter ranking criteria, prioritising former Senate leaders, experienced lawmakers, and those with at least one or two terms before first-time senators.
The changes effectively exclude incoming senators from leadership contests unless they meet the new service requirement.
During the session, Senator Adams Oshiomhole was the only lawmaker who opposed the amendment, arguing that it differed from what was agreed in the closed-door meeting. His attempt to raise a procedural objection was reportedly dismissed.
The Senate also approved additional procedural changes, including adjustments to committee schedules, plenary hours, and new rules on committee membership limits. It also created a new committee on reparation and repatriation.
Following approval, the Clerk of the Senate was directed to update the official standing rules to reflect the new amendments.
