The Senate amended its standing orders on Tuesday to alter the process for selecting the next Senate president, a move that triggered sharp disagreements among members over who the changes favour ahead of 2027.
The amendment shifts the requirements or procedures that govern how senators can contest for the position, according to sources familiar with the closed-door session. Several senators say the new rules were designed to benefit specific candidates already being talked about for the role, though the leadership has not publicly stated which senators stand to gain.
The tension boiled over during the session as senators from different political zones questioned why the rules had to change now, three years before the current Senate president's tenure ends. Some lawmakers argue the amendment undermines the principle of equal opportunity and marginalises senators from certain regions or seniority levels.
Sources say the amendment passed with support from a majority of senators, but the vote exposed cracks in the chamber's unity. Senators who opposed the change have begun reaching out to colleagues, signalling that the 2027 succession race is already taking shape and will test relationships forged during the current administration.
The Senate leadership has not released details of the exact changes made to the standing orders. Multiple attempts to reach the Senate President's office for comment were unsuccessful. The development comes as President Bola Tinubu's first term nears its midpoint, a period when succession planning typically gains momentum across Nigerian institutions.
Analysts say the amended rules could reshape calculations around the 2027 Senate presidency and potentially influence broader political alignments in the run-up to that election. The next Senate president will wield significant power over legislative business and could play a kingmaker role in future national politics.
The Senate is expected to publish the amended standing orders in due course. Sources say internal discussions on the changes will continue at the next closed session, where more senators are likely to air grievances or seek clarifications on how the new process works.
