The Senate on Thursday rescinded controversial amendments made to its 2026 Standing Orders following concerns that some of the newly introduced provisions were inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.
The decision came just days after the upper chamber amended sections of its rules, a move that sparked controversy and heated exchanges among lawmakers.
Moving the motion during plenary, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, said a fresh legislative and constitutional review revealed that certain provisions introduced under Order 2 Subsection 2 and Order 3 Subsection 1 could create constitutional inconsistencies, particularly with Section 52 of the Constitution.
He explained that after further scrutiny, the Senate discovered that aspects of the amendments could generate unintended legal conflicts with the constitutional framework guiding legislative proceedings.
Bamidele also stressed that the Senate possesses the inherent parliamentary authority to revisit, rescind, and recommit matters previously decided in order to protect the integrity of its proceedings and legislative framework.
Following the motion, the chamber resolved to withdraw its earlier decisions relating to the amendments made to Order 2 Subsection 2 and Order 3 Subsection 1 of the Senate Standing Orders 2026.
The motion was seconded by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia South.
Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, described the move as necessary to ensure the Senate’s rules remain in conformity with constitutional provisions.
He commended the Senate leader for identifying the constitutional issues, noting that the matter was clear enough not to require further debate.
However, Senator Adams Oshiomhole criticised the process that led to the initial amendments, arguing that lawmakers acted in haste to satisfy certain interests instead of allowing proper debate.
He warned against rushing critical legislative decisions in the future, insisting that adequate deliberation should always precede amendments to the Senate’s rules.
Oshiomhole’s remarks triggered another round of exchanges on the floor, prompting Bamidele to invoke Rule 52(6) of the Senate Standing Orders, which bars the reopening of matters already decided without a substantive motion.
Bamidele said if any senator had reservations about decisions taken during the earlier amendment process, the proper parliamentary procedure was to bring a substantive motion for rescission before the chamber.
He also expressed concern that the controversy surrounding the amendments and the disagreements among lawmakers had overshadowed the Senate’s legislative activities, warning that the chamber would not allow unnecessary drama to distract from its constitutional responsibilities.
The Senate Standing Orders regulate legislative procedures in the upper chamber, including plenary conduct, motions, voting processes, debates, and disciplinary measures.
