The Plateau State House of Assembly has domesticated the harmonised Standing Orders, introducing a key provision that limits eligibility for presiding and principal officer positions to members with prior legislative experience.
The move, unanimously endorsed by lawmakers, is aimed at strengthening legislative practice and aligning procedures with standards adopted across state assemblies in Nigeria.
The harmonised Standing Orders provide a unified framework for legislative operations, covering areas such as plenary sittings, debates, committee activities, voting procedures, quorum requirements, and the conduct of members during proceedings.
The motion for adoption was moved by Majority Leader Joseph Gokum and seconded by Adamu Aliyu, who both noted that the framework would enhance efficiency and consistency in parliamentary processes.
A major highlight of the new rules is the provision that only lawmakers with legislative experience can emerge as presiding or principal officers, except in situations where such experience is unavailable, subject to the decision of the House.
Lawmakers said the reform would strengthen discipline, improve institutional capacity, and promote order in legislative proceedings.
In a related development, the House also advanced a Bill seeking to establish the Plateau State House of Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Law, 2025, to second reading.
The motion was moved by Theodore Maiyaki and seconded by Abdul Yanga.
The proposed legislation aims to clearly define the powers, privileges, and immunities of the Assembly and its members, with the goal of strengthening legislative independence and safeguarding parliamentary processes.
Presiding over the session, Speaker Naanlong Daniel directed the Clerk to read the Bill for the second time, after which it passed the stage and was referred to the committee level for further scrutiny.
The Speaker commended members for their contributions, noting that their input enriched legislative deliberations.
The Assembly expressed confidence that the reforms would enhance its effectiveness in lawmaking and deepen democratic governance in the state.
