Senate approves simple majority for electing presiding officers

The Senate on Tuesday amended its Standing Rules 2015 and approved a simple majority for the election of presiding officers. 

 It retained a closed ballot system of voting for the election of the senate president and the deputy.

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 The amendment followed the consideration of a motion pursuant to Order 111 of the Senate Standing Rule, 2015.

 The motion was sponsored by the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Suleiman Sadiq Umar (Kwara North), and the Vice-Chairman who is the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North).

 The Rules and Business Committee had proposed two-thirds majority in its report. 

  Lawmakers in the majority voted in support of a simple majority for the election of presiding officers. 

 The Senate 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 than 20 members at most.