ABUJA, Nigeria (FN)— Senate President Godswill Akpabio has issued a firm statement defending the authority and discipline of the Nigerian Senate, declaring that no individual lawmaker will be allowed to hold the chamber hostage. His remarks, released through his media aide Eseme Eyiboh under the title “The Trials and Triumphs of a Resilient Nigeria’s 10th Senate,” come amid renewed tensions surrounding Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s contested return from suspension.
“The Senate cannot and will not be held hostage by the disruptive instincts of any of its members,” Akpabio said. “Democracy thrives only when its institutions are respected and its rules upheld.”
Though Akpabio did not name any specific senator, his comments follow Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reentry into the chamber after a six-month suspension she continues to challenge. Her return has sparked debate over legislative discipline, free expression, and the balance of power within the National Assembly.
Akpabio emphasized that enforcing parliamentary rules is not about silencing dissent but about preserving order and institutional integrity. He drew parallels with other advanced democracies, citing the British House of Commons, Canadian Parliament, and Australian Senate as examples where defiance of parliamentary authority carries swift consequences.
“The discipline of parliamentary conduct is a universal marker of political civilisation,” Akpabio said. “In the UK’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.”
He defended the Senate’s Standing Orders as essential tools of governance, not symbolic relics. “They are the living constitution of the institution, carefully designed to preserve fairness, consistency, and the sanctity of the legislative process,” he added.
Akpabio’s statement comes at a time when Nigeria’s democratic institutions are under increasing scrutiny. The 10th Senate has faced criticism over transparency, internal cohesion, and its handling of disciplinary matters. Akpabio’s leadership style—marked by firmness and calls for unity—has drawn both praise and pushback from lawmakers and civil society groups.
In response to the statement, some senators have expressed support for Akpabio’s stance, citing the need for decorum and collective responsibility. Others have warned against conflating order with suppression, arguing that dissent is a vital part of democratic debate.
Akpabio concluded by reaffirming the Senate’s role as a stabilizing force. “Freedom within order is the truest form of democracy,” he said. “Strong legislatures endure not by silencing dissent, but by ensuring that dissent respects the bounds of procedure.”
The controversy surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension and return continues to unfold, with legal and political implications likely to shape the Senate’s internal dynamics in the months ahead. A formal review of the suspension process is reportedly underway, though no timeline has been announced.
