What We Changed in Our Rules Was Procedural, Not Eligibility — Senator Adegbomire

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Adeniyi Adegbomire (SAN), representing Ondo Central, has dismissed reports suggesting that recent adjustments to the Senate Rules were overturned on the directive of the Presidency, describing such claims as “untrue and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.”

Speaking in an exclusive interview after the plenary, Adegbomire clarified that the amendments recently considered by the Senate were strictly procedural and did not affect eligibility criteria for lawmakers or candidates.

“One of the Orders that was considered was about whether you should take your oath of allegiance and membership before elections,” he said. “The proposal that was passed, among others, on Tuesday was that you must be sworn in before you can vote. It was just a procedural change.”

He explained that the previous arrangement allowed senators-elect to participate in the election of presiding officers before being formally sworn in.

“In the past, you didn’t have to be sworn in before you voted for the Senate President and Deputy Senate President, and now they said you have to be sworn in first before the election,” he said.

“Members thought that the Constitution says ‘you may’, so that there won’t be any controversy thereafter, we decided to revert to the old Order.”

Adegbomire further stressed that eligibility was never part of the amendment under review, noting that the Senate only revisited voting procedure and oath-taking processes.

“The issue of eligibility stays, and it is different from what we rescinded,” he clarified. “We rescinded the Order of oath-taking and eligibility to contest the election. This is for clarity.”

The clarification follows media reports alleging that the Senate had reversed its earlier decision following external influence, claims the upper chamber has now firmly denied.

The revert to the old procedure was contained in the Senate Order Paper of Thursday, titled “Rescission and Re-Commital of Order 2(2) and Order 3(1)”, which argued that the earlier procedural adjustment could create constitutional inconsistencies and unintended tensions with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), particularly Section 52.

The Senate further noted that its Standing Orders must remain consistent with constitutional provisions, established parliamentary conventions, and legislative practice to avoid procedural ambiguity and legal conflict.