Move by Senate to change procedures for electing Presiding Officers, others suffers set back

The move by the leadership of the Senate to amend its Standing Orders 2023 by changing procedures for the emergence of presiding officers, suffered set back on Tuesday.

The proposed amendments to standing rules of the Senate faced resistance immediately after being presented by Deputy Leader of the Senate, Senator Lola Ashiru (Kwara South), who stood in for the Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central) .

Senate leadership had in the proposed amendment, which was later stood down, listed only four categories of senators to number four among as those eligible to run for the position of Senate President or Deputy Senate President at  inauguration.

The proposal, which was  contained in proposed provisions for nomination of Senators to serve as Presiding Officers, states that any Senator who has served as President of the Senate before comes first, followed by any other Senators who must have served as Deputy President of the Senate before and followed by those who have served as principal officers before, after which ranking, in terms of number of years spent in the Senate as a Senator, follows.

The provision states: “Nomination of Senators to serve as Presiding Officers shall be in accordance with the ranking of Senators and shall be strictly adhered to.

“In determining ranking , the following Order shall apply ÷ (i) Former President of the Senate, (ii) Former Deputy President of the Senate, (iii) Former Principal Officers of the Senate, (iv) Senators returning based on number of times re-elected, (v) Senators who had been members of the House of Representatives and ( vi) In the absence of (i) to (v), Senators elected as Senators for the First Time can vie for the positions.”

Apparently dissatisfied with the proposal, one of the ranking Senators by number years spent in the Senate so far, Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), kicked against the move.

Goje, in kicking against the said, it was wrong to place a first timer, appointed principal position on the template of quota system, above others, particularly somebody like him serving his fourth term in the Senate.

On the strength of Senator Goje’s explanation, the amendment, was hurriedly stood down as advised by the Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session.