First-coming Senators stopped from vying for Senate President.

The Red Chamber has amended its standing rules to prevent first-time senators from contesting for the office of the President of the Senate and Deputy Senate President.

The amendment was sequel to the consideration of a motion by the Senate Leader, Bamidele Okpeyemi for the amendment of standing rules to accommodate new standing committees.

The motion was overwhelmingly supported by senators across all political affiliations when the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio put it on voice vote.

Also, the Senate carried out nine other amendments aimed at accommodating four new standing committees.

The Senate created the Committee on Atomic and Nuclear Energy, which would oversee the Nigeria Nuclear Energy Regulatory Commission, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission and their annual budget estimates.

The Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was also divided into two different standing committees: namely Committee on FCT and Committee on FCT Area Councils.

The Senate similarly divided the Committee on Sports into two standing committees, namely, Committee on Sports Development and Committee on Youth and Community Engagements.

In the same vein, the Committee on Solid Minerals, Steel Development and Metallurgy was split into the Committees on Solid Mineral Development, and that of Mines and Steel Development.

The Committee on Solid Mineral Development will oversee the Federal Ministry of Solid Mineral Development, Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, Mining Cadastre Office and Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists, Nigerian Metallurgical Training Institute, Solid Minerals Development Fund, Nigeria Institute of Mining and Geoscience, National Metallurgical Development Centre, exploration of minerals extraction and quarry, geological survey and minerals investigation as well as explosives.

The Committee on Mines and Steel Development, for its part, shall oversee the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Aluminum Smelting Company of Nigeria, Ajaokuta Steel Development Company, National Iron Ore Mining Company, National Steel Raw Material Exploration Agency and their budgets.