Akpabio Vows Senate Won’t Be Held Hostage by ‘Disruptive Lawmakers’

• Senate President Godswill Akpabio says the National Assembly will not be held hostage by any lawmaker, stressing that enforcing discipline is vital to protect Nigeria’s democracy and uphold parliamentary order.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has warned that the National Assembly will not allow itself to be “held hostage” by what he described as the disruptive instincts of any of its members, insisting that the Senate must uphold discipline, decorum, and respect for its rules to protect the sanctity of Nigeria’s democracy.

Akpabio made the remarks in a statement released by his media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, on Saturday. The statement was titled “The Trials and Triumphs of a Resilient Nigeria’s 10th Senate.”

“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,” Akpabio said.

While he did not mention any lawmaker by name, the statement comes amid renewed tension surrounding Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central, who recently returned to the chamber after a six-month suspension that she is still contesting.

Akpabio stressed that discipline in parliamentary conduct is a universal principle of democratic governance, pointing out that legislatures in advanced democracies such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia uphold similar standards.

“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,” he said.

Akpabio explained that the Senate Standing Orders are not symbolic documents but living rules designed to ensure fairness, stability, and the integrity of Nigeria’s legislative system.

“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,” he stated.

Drawing parallels with other parliaments, Akpabio justified the Senate’s right to discipline or suspend members when necessary.

He cited global precedents where legislators face sanctions for misconduct, including the British House of Commons, where suspension or expulsion is applied to preserve the dignity of parliament.

“In the world’s most respected parliaments, members who flout rules face swift consequences. The Nigerian Senate has every right to apply similar standards,” he added.

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The former Akwa Ibom governor described the 10th Senate as a “chamber of resilience and balance,” adding that his leadership prioritises collective responsibility over personal grandstanding.

“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,” Akpabio said.

“This is how strong legislatures endure — not by silencing dissent, but by ensuring that dissent respects the bounds of procedure.”

Akpabio also noted that his approach to leadership is one of firmness and inclusion, aimed at ensuring the Senate remains a stabilising force amid 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 said.

The statement comes at a time when Nigerians are debating the limits of free expression within parliament and the balance between discipline and democratic freedom in legislative governance.