The House of Representatives has passed a resolution calling for a restructuring of joint sessions of the National Assembly, aimed at alternating presiding roles between the Senate President and the Speaker of the House.
The move seeks to establish parity between the two chambers.
Under the proposal, the Speaker would open joint sessions while the Senate President would conclude, and vice versa. This initiative followed discussions led by House Leader Prof. Julius Ihonvbere on findings from an ad-hoc committee examining perceived discrimination in National Honours Awards between the Senate and House.
Currently, the Senate President presides over joint sessions, such as the president’s budget presentation, while the Speaker typically delivers closing remarks.
This longstanding practice has raised concerns over perceived imbalances in the relationship between the two chambers.
Tensions increased after Senate President Godswill Akpabio was awarded the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), while Speaker Abbas Tajudeen initially received a lower honor, the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR).
Though the Speaker was later conferred the GCON by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, discussions about fairness in recognition persisted.
In response, the House emphasized the need for alternating leadership during joint sessions, a move they say would promote equality and address perceptions of Senate superiority.
The House also called for the extension of similar honors to the Deputy Speaker, Deputy Senate President, and other principal officers from both chambers to ensure equity.
The resolution further recommended that former presiding officers of the National Assembly be considered for similar honors. Additionally, the House proposed the creation of a National Assembly Service Award to recognize excellence and dedication, similar to the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal.
Lawmakers also urged a review of the National Honours Act to reflect contemporary realities, noting that the current framework dates back to 1964. The House is committed to reshaping public perception of the legislature by addressing media portrayals that have contributed to misunderstandings about the relationship between the House and the Senate.
The resolution seeks to eliminate terms like “Upper Chamber” for the Senate and “Lower Chamber” for the House, and to reconsider the title “Chairman of the National Assembly” for the Senate President, which lawmakers believe reinforces the notion of Senate dominance.
