By Henry Umoru, ABUJA
ABUJA — The Senate, yesterday, made a dramatic U-turn on its controversial amendment barring first-time senators from contesting for presiding offices, reopening the race for Senate President and Deputy Senate President in the 11th National Assembly.
The reversal effectively throws open the 2027 Senate leadership contest to all elected senators, regardless of tenure, ending attempts to restrict the race to ranking lawmakers returning from the current Assembly.
This is as no fewer than six serving governors, 15 former governors, and Mrs. Betty Akeredolu, wife of late immediate past Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, have indicated interest in going to the Red chamber of the National Assembly, next year.
The Senate’s decision followed mounting criticism that the amended Standing Orders conflicted with provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
The Senate rescinded the amendment through a motion sponsored by Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele(APC Ekiti Central), and presided over by Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau.
The motion, entitled: “Recession and Re-Committal of Order 2(2) and Order 3(1) of the Senate Standing Orders, 2023, as amended,” was overwhelmingly adopted through a voice vote.
The development signals a major shift within the ruling APC towards a more competitive process for determining the leadership of the next Senate rather than restricting eligibility through tenure requirements.
Why Senate reversed itself
Sources told Vanguard that “intense overnight pressure on the Senate leadership” made the lawmakers revisit the controversial issue.
Presenting the motion, Bamidele said: “The Senate Standing Orders were considered and amended on May 5, 2026. Upon further legislative and constitutional review, certain provisions introduced under Order 2(2) and Order 3(1) may give rise to constitutional inconsistencies and unintended tensions with the Constitution.”
Bamidele explained that the Constitution clearly allows senators-elect to participate in the election of presiding officers before taking their oaths.
“Against this background, Mr. President and distinguished colleagues, I move that the Senate rescinds its earlier decisions relating to the amendments made to Order 2, Subsection 2, and Order 3, Subsection 1 of the Senate Standing Orders,” he said.
Recall that the Senate had, on Tuesday, amended its rules after a marathon executive session, introducing stricter eligibility criteria for presiding officers.
Under the controversial amendment, only returning senators from the 10th Assembly were eligible to contest for Senate President and other principal offices, effectively shutting out first-term lawmakers.
In his remarks, Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin who presided over plenary described the motion as “straightforward” and commended the Senate Leader for quickly identifying the constitutional inconsistency.
Oshiomhole protests
Immediately after the reversal, Senator Adams Oshiomhole(APC Edo North), faulted the manner the amendment was initially handled, calling for broader consultation on sensitive legislative matters.
Responding, Bamidele condemned what he described as “unnecessary drama” surrounding the earlier amendment.
“We cannot allow this kind of drama to go on in the Senate. This drama must stop because it is not helping the image of this institution,” he said.
Barau, while ruling on the matter, described the motion as “straightforward,” adding that the Senate merely acted to align its rules with constitutional provisions.
Govs, ex-govs storm Senate race
Meanwhile, the battle for Senate seats ahead of the APC, primaries on May 18, has intensified. No fewer than six out-going APC governors and over 15 former governors have entered the race.
Among serving governors seeking Senate seats are Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, Babagana Zulum of Borno, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Hope Uzodinma of Imo and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara.
Former governors already in the Senate or seeking return include Godswill Akpabio, Adams Oshiomhole, Orji Kalu, Simon Lalong, Aminu Tambuwal, Seriake Dickson, Gbenga Daniel, Samuel Ortom and Yahaya Bello, among others.
In Ogun East, a fierce contest is looming between Governor Dapo Abiodun and incumbent Senator Gbenga Daniel, both former governors of the state.
Similarly, Governor Zulum may face resistance in Borno Central, where some party stakeholders are reportedly backing incumbent Senator Shehu Lawan for another term.
Betty Akeredolu joins race
Also yesterday, former Ondo State First Lady, Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, formally entered the Imo East Senatorial race on the platform of the Labour Party, LP.
She was among several aspirants who obtained nomination forms at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
The development came as the LP said interest in its 2027 tickets remained high, with aspirants thronging the secretariat to obtain forms ahead of the primaries.
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