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conduct of any of its members, stressing that enforcing the Senate’s rules is vital to safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic integrity.
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 defended the Senate’s insistence on discipline, saying it was not an attempt to silence dissent but to preserve order, respect, and the sanctity of democratic institutions.
His remarks follow a disagreement with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central), who recently returned to the chamber after a six-month suspension and has continued to challenge the legality of that disciplinary action.
“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. The discipline of parliamentary conduct is a universal marker of political civilisation.”
Drawing parallels with other democracies, he noted that in the United Kingdom’s House of Commons, the authority of the Speaker is “absolute and unchallenged,” adding that no member, regardless of party or popularity, may defy the Speaker’s ruling without consequences.
Akpabio emphasised that Nigeria’s Standing Orders are not symbolic but foundational to parliamentary governance. “They are the living constitution of the institution, carefully designed to preserve fairness, consistency, and the sanctity of the legislative process,” he said.
Defending the Senate’s right to discipline erring members, he cited similar practices in other respected parliaments where lawmakers face suspension or expulsion for conduct that undermines legislative order. “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,” he added.
Describing the 10th Senate as “a chamber of resilience and balance,” Akpabio said the legislature remains committed to ensuring that freedom coexists with order — which he called “the truest form of democracy.”
“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,” he said. “Strong legislatures endure not by silencing dissent but by ensuring that dissent respects the bounds of procedure.”
Akpabio concluded that his leadership style “combines firmness and inclusion,” aiming to keep the Senate a stabilising force amid growing populism and public distrust.
“Leadership of this sort does not seek applause; it seeks stability,” he stated. “By upholding its Standing Orders, the Senate has reclaimed its moral authority and shown that rules, properly enforced, are not instruments of oppression but shields against institutional decay.”
