Senate President Godswill Akpabio has asserted that the Nigerian Senate will not allow itself to be “held hostage” by the disruptive behaviour of any individual lawmaker, stressing that discipline and adherence to parliamentary rules are essential to the health of Nigeria’s democracy.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, titled “The Trials and Triumphs of a Resilient Nigeria’s 10th Senate,” Akpabio warned that while dissent is welcome in a democratic space, it must occur within the bounds of the Senate’s Standing Orders.
“The Senate cannot and will not be held hostage by the disruptive instincts of any of its members,” Akpabio declared. “Democracy thrives only when its institutions are respected and its rules upheld.”
Although no lawmaker was named, the comments come amid ongoing tension surrounding Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central), who recently resumed plenary following a six-month suspension — a sanction she continues to contest.
Akpabio emphasised that legislative rules are not symbolic or outdated but are the “living constitution” of the Senate, created to safeguard fairness and stability within the lawmaking process.
“The Nigerian Senate’s Standing Orders are not ceremonial relics from the past. They are carefully designed to preserve fairness, consistency, and the sanctity of the legislative process,” he said.
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Comparing Nigeria’s legislature to other advanced democracies, Akpabio noted that parliaments in countries such as the UK, Canada, and Australia maintain strict order, with members often facing suspension or expulsion for breaching decorum.
“In the United Kingdom’s House of Commons, the authority of the Speaker is absolute and unchallenged,” he said. “No member, regardless of party or popularity, may openly defy the Speaker’s ruling without consequences.”
The Senate President also reiterated that his leadership seeks not applause, but stability, and is determined to ensure that the Senate remains a “chamber of resilience and balance” despite rising public cynicism and political populism.
“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 concluded.
The statement adds further fuel to the national conversation about legislative discipline, freedom of expression within Parliament, and the future of institutional order in Nigeria’s democratic framework.
