New details have come to light regarding the confrontation between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Adams Oshiomhole over the recent amendment of the Senate standing rules.
The revised rules introduce strict eligibility requirements for presiding and principal officers in the 11th Senate, scheduled for inauguration in June 2027.
The amendment effectively disqualifies aspiring candidates who have not served two consecutive terms in the 9th and 10th Senates.
This significantly impacts several second-term governors planning to run for the Senate in 2027, such as Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), and Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara).
It also affects former senators like Hope Uzodimma and Kabiru Marafa, as well as Oshiomhole, who is currently in his first term.
The updated Order 4 establishes a rigid hierarchy for nominating presiding officers, stating: “Nomination of Senators to serve as Presiding Officers shall be in accordance with the ranking of Senators and shall be strictly adhered to.”
The ranking system prioritizes: “(i) Former President of the Senate, (ii) Former Deputy President of the Senate, (iii) Former Principal Officers of the Senate, (iv) Senators who had served at least one term of four years, (v) Senators who had been members of the House of Representatives, (vi) In the absence of i to v, Senators elected into the Senate for the first time.”
Furthermore, Order 5 reinforces this by stating: “Any Senator shall not be eligible to contest for any Principal Office of the Senate unless he has served as a Senator for at least two consecutive terms immediately proceeding nomination.”
The tension peaked during Wednesday’s plenary when Oshiomhole repeatedly attempted to raise a point of order to contest the adoption of these rules.
Sources suggest Oshiomhole views the amendment as a targeted move against himself and Governor Hope Uzodimma. Akpabio, however, repeatedly ruled him out of order, citing procedural protocols.
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As the confrontation escalated, Akpabio read Order 20 to assert his authority, stating: “Let me be clear to you my colleagues, distinguished senators. Many people may not have seen this order, which is why I am reading it out. The Senate President is tasked with maintaining order during debates and giving rulings on points of constitutional order when they are raised.”
Akpabio continued by emphasizing his power of interpretation: “He also has a casting vote in the event of a tie, but does not vote in any other circumstance. Most importantly, he has the authority to interpret the rules—this is clearly stated. So, dear senators we should not come into this chamber, especially on matters as serious as contested elections, without a proper understanding of the rules.”
The Senate President eventually issued a stern warning to Oshiomhole: “Therefore, Senator Oshiomhole, let me state it finally that I can use this rule to take you out of the chamber if you are not ready to comport with the Senate rules and procedures.”
See video of the clash below:
