The Senate on Wednesday reversed an earlier decision and granted governors and other senior government officials access to the chamber during deliberations on the proposed state police bill.
The development came after lawmakers initially rejected a motion seeking to admit the invited guests onto the Senate floor. Under Senate rules, only serving senators are permitted inside the chamber, while visitors and non-members are expected to observe proceedings from the gallery.
The initial rejection briefly stalled proceedings as several governors and top government officials invited to witness the debate were already waiting outside the chamber.
Seeking to resolve the impasse, Senate President Godswill Akpabio appealed to lawmakers to reconsider the matter, stressing the importance of allowing key stakeholders to follow discussions on the proposed constitutional amendment.
Akpabio noted that any amendment establishing state police would ultimately require the approval of State Houses of Assembly, making it necessary for governors and other stakeholders to closely monitor the legislative process.
He further pointed out that the bill under consideration was an Executive Bill and that many of the invited guests were representatives of the Executive arm of government.
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Following his intervention, the Senate Leader reintroduced the motion, requesting the suspension of Order 12 of the Senate Rules on Floor Privileges to permit the visitors’ entry into the chamber.
Among those admitted were the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, the governors of Kaduna, Ogun and Ondo states, state attorneys-general, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Planning and Research, and the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, alongside other stakeholders.
Supporting the motion, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin praised Akpabio’s leadership, describing the decision as a step toward inclusiveness and broader participation in discussions on the state police proposal.
The Senate subsequently approved the request upon reconsideration, paving the way for the governors and other invited officials to witness the debate on one of Nigeria’s most significant constitutional reform proposals.