Senate Reverses Controversial Rule Change, Reopens Path for Uzodimma, Oshiomhole Ahead of 2027
The Nigerian Senate has reversed its controversial amendment to the Senate Standing Orders, restoring eligibility for a wider pool of lawmakers to contest for key leadership positions in the 11th National Assembly ahead of the 2027 political season.
The decision was taken during Thursday’s plenary following a motion sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and adopted under the supervision of Deputy Senate President Jubril Barau.
The now-reversed amendment had introduced stricter eligibility requirements for senators seeking presiding and principal offices, including the office of Senate President. Under the withdrawn provisions, only senators who had served two consecutive terms in the Senate — including the immediate past term before nomination — would have qualified to contest for top leadership positions.
The amendment, passed earlier this week, was widely seen as an attempt to narrow the field of potential contenders by excluding incoming senators and lawmakers without uninterrupted service in both the 9th and 10th Senate.
With the reversal, several prominent politicians, including Governor Hope Uzodimma and former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, are once again considered eligible to contest for the office of Senate President in 2027, alongside other ranking lawmakers.
The withdrawn rules had also affected eligibility for other principal offices such as Deputy Senate President, Senate Leader, Chief Whip and Minority Leader.
In addition, Order 4 of the amended Standing Orders had established a hierarchy for nominations into presiding offices. The arrangement prioritised former Senate Presidents, former Deputy Senate Presidents, former principal officers, senators with at least one term in office, former members of the House of Representatives and, only as a last resort, first-time senators.
Before the controversial amendment, the Senate’s rules allowed any ranking lawmaker with at least four years of legislative experience in the National Assembly to contest for presiding offices.
The reversal is expected to reshape early political calculations within the Senate and could intensify permutations ahead of the 2027 leadership contest.
