Godswill Akpabio, the president of the Senate, has stated that the National Assembly will not permit any of its members to take the organisation “hostage,” emphasising that in order to maintain Nigeria’s democracy, the legislature must maintain discipline and respect for its regulations.
This was said by Akpabio in a statement titled “The Trials and Triumphs of a Resilient Nigeria’s 10th Senate,” which was released on Saturday by Eseme Eyiboh, his Special Advisor on Media and Publicity.
“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.”
His comments coincided with increased tension after Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) returned from a six-month suspension, which she continued to contest, even though he did not specifically name any politician.
The Senate President emphasised that upholding order and protecting institutional integrity were the goals of imposing discipline in legislative conduct rather than stifling criticism.
“The discipline of parliamentary conduct is a universal marker of political civilisation,” Akpabio said. “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.”
Drawing comparisons with international legislative norms, Akpabio defended the legislature’s authority to punish misbehaving members, pointing out that MPs are punished for misbehaviour even in developed democracies.
He went on to describe the 10th Senate as “a chamber of resilience and balance,” dedicated to proving that “freedom within order is the truest form of democracy.”
Akpabio emphasised that the upper house must continue to act as a stabilising force in the face of rising populism and popular scepticism, adding that his leadership style would continue to be one of “firmness and inclusion.”
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