Senate Won’t Be Held Hostage By Any Member, Says Akpabio

SENATE President, Godswill Akpabio, has declared that the Senate will not be held hostage by the “disruptive instincts” of any of its members, insisting that the chamber must uphold discipline and respect for its rules to preserve the sanctity of Nigeria’s democracy.
Akpabio, in a statement issued by his media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, on Saturday, October 11, titled, ‘The Trials and Triumphs of a Resilient Nigeria’s 10th Senate,’ stated that the senate’s insistence on enforcing its rules was not about silencing dissent, but about preserving order and the sanctity of democratic institutions.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, on Saturday, October 11, titled, ‘The Trials and Triumphs of a Resilient Nigeria’s 10th Senate,’ Akpabio said the legislature’s insistence on enforcing its rules was not about silencing dissent, but about preserving order and the sanctity of democratic institutions.
He noted that the chamber must uphold discipline and respect for its rules to preserve the sanctity of Nigeria’s democracy.
Akpabio’s comments followed disagreement with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central), who recently returned from a six-month suspension and continues to contest her suspension.
Akpabio said: “The Senate cannot and will not be held hostage by the disruptive instincts of any of its members.
“Democracy thrives only when its institutions are respected and its rules upheld.
“The discipline of parliamentary conduct is a universal marker of political civilisation.
“In the United Kingdom’s House of Commons, the authority of the Speaker is absolute and unchallenged. No member, regardless of party or popularity, may openly defy the Speaker’s ruling without consequences.
“The Nigerian Senate’s Standing Orders are not ceremonial relics from the past. They are the living constitution of the institution, carefully designed to preserve fairness, consistency, and the sanctity of the legislative process.”
THe further defended the right of the legislature to discipline its members when necessary, drawing parallels with other democracies where lawmakers face suspension or expulsion for violating parliamentary order.
According to him: “In the world’s most respected parliaments, members who flout rules face swift consequences. In the British House of Commons, suspension or expulsion is not rare when a member’s behaviour undermines parliamentary dignity. Nigeria’s Senate has every right to apply similar standards.”
Describing the 10th Senate as “a chamber of resilience and balance,” Akpabio said its leadership was determined to demonstrate that “freedom within order is the truest form of democracy.”
He added: “When the chamber asserts that it will not be held hostage by the disruptive instincts of any single member, it is affirming the primacy of collective responsibility over individual grandstanding.
“This is how strong legislatures endure, not by silencing dissent, but by ensuring that dissent respects the bounds of procedure.”
Akpabio strssed that his leadership approach was one of firmness and inclusion, noting that the upper chamber must remain a stabilising force in the face of rising populism and public cynicism.
“Leadership of this sort does not seek applause; it seeks stability. By upholding its Standing Orders, the Senate has reclaimed its moral authority and demonstrated that rules, properly enforced, are not instruments of oppression, but shields against institutional decay.”
He highlighted what he described as the “record of uncommon legislative action” achieved under the 10th Senate, noting that in less than two years, it had processed over 90 Bills, with over 50 already receiving presidential assent, such as the Nigeria Tax Administration Act and Joint Revenue Board Act, designed to harmonise tax collection across federal, state and local levels for improved fiscal efficiency.
Others include the Electricity Act (Amendment), which has opened new opportunities for states to generate and distribute power, deepening energy sector decentralisation; the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, which established the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to ensure access to tertiary education for students from modest backgrounds; Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act; and reforms to the Defence Industries Corporation (DICON) to enhance local arms production and tighten oversight of the security sector.
In addition, Akpabio cited the Senate’s role in approving an increased national minimum wage as part of its commitment to social welfare and economic stability.
Beyond these, the Senate, he said, had strengthened its oversight functions through rigorous scrutiny of ministerial nominees, transparent budgetary reviews and reinvigorated public hearings that serve as platforms for accountability, noting: “This spirit of constructive collaboration with the Executive, balanced by a firm assertion of institutional independence, has restored public confidence in the Senate’s purpose and performance.”
Akpabio said democratic institutions are measured not by the absence of dissent, but by their ability to manage internal turbulence without undermining order, adding: “The real measure of a democratic institution is how it handles internal turbulence. When the Senate insists that rules must be followed and leadership respected, it is not acting out of pride but duty.
“Every time the Senate enforces its Standing Orders, it sends a message that Nigeria’s democracy is strong enough to discipline itself.
“A senator who disregards procedure may think he/she is exercising personal liberty, but in truth, he/she is unravelling the very order that gives that liberty meaning,” he said.
He commended his colleagues for showing restraint and unity, despite provocations and political differences, saying the chamber’s cohesion was built on shared commitment to the republic’s greater good.
He noted: “Under my guidance, the Senate has preserved its institutional dignity, while ensuring that disagreements, inevitable in a plural polity, never degenerate into disrespect.
“This collective resilience distinguishes a mature legislature from a mere gathering of political actors.
“Its insistence on rule-based conduct, robust legislative output, and respect for leadership all reinforce the idea that democratic governance is sustained not by emotion but by discipline.”
Akpabio said the Senate remains a beacon of institutional steadiness in turbulent times, demonstrating that Nigeria’s democracy can renew itself through order, maturity and self-discipline, adding: “In the end, it is not the noise of politics that defines a nation’s greatness, but the calm persistence of its institutions.
“In that regard, the Nigerian Senate stands triumphant, disciplined, dignified and resolutely democratic.”