The Nigerian Senate has amended the Senate Standing Rules 2015, and approved a simple majority for the election of presiding officers.
The upper chamber also retained a closed ballot system of voting for the election of the President of the Senate and the Deputy.
The amendment of the rules followed the consideration of a motion pursuant to Order 111 of the Senate Standing Rule, 2015 which was sponsored by Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Suleiman Sadiq and the Vice Chairman who is the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi
The Rules and Business Committee had proposed a two-third majority in its report.
Senator James Manager threw his weight in support of a two-third majority for the election of officers while some lawmakers kicked against the adoption of a simple majority.
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, however cautioned that an amendment in the direction of a two-third majority could be exploited to stall the inauguration and election of presiding officers.
Lawmakers in the majority, who were swayed by the Senate President’s observation, accordingly voted in support of a simple majority for the election of presiding officers.
It also amended Order 96 to provide for Senators to be members of not more than seven Committees at a time, while committee membership would consist of not less than seven members and not more that twenty members at most.
In his concluding remarks, President of the Senate commends the Rules and Business Committee for working hard to propose important amendments to the Standing Orders.
