Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has warned that the National Assembly will not tolerate any attempt by its members to undermine its integrity or disrupt its proceedings.
In a statement released on Saturday by his media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, Akpabio stressed that the 10th Senate remains committed to maintaining discipline, respect for rules, and institutional order in its operations.
The statement, titled “The Trials and Triumphs of a Resilient Nigeria’s 10th Senate,” emphasized that enforcing parliamentary rules was not meant to silence dissent but to protect the values and traditions that sustain democracy.
“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.
Although Akpabio did not mention any lawmaker by name, his comments come amid renewed tensions surrounding Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central), who recently returned to the chamber after a six-month suspension.
Akpabio compared Nigeria’s legislative standards to those in parliaments across the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, noting that respect for parliamentary rules is a hallmark of democratic maturity.
“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.
The Senate President described the Standing Orders as the foundation of fair and consistent legislative practice, not merely ceremonial traditions.
“They are the living constitution of the institution, carefully designed to preserve fairness, consistency, and the sanctity of the legislative process,” he added.
Akpabio maintained that the Senate reserves the right to impose sanctions when members breach parliamentary decorum, noting that suspensions and expulsions are common in other respected legislatures.
He described the 10th Senate as “a chamber of resilience and balance” that must continue to demonstrate stability and discipline as a measure of democratic strength.
“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.
He added that his leadership approach balances firmness with inclusivity, stressing that the Senate’s adherence to its rules reflects its institutional maturity.
“Leadership of this sort does not seek applause; it seeks stability. By upholding its Standing Orders, the Senate has reclaimed its moral authority and shown that rules, properly enforced, are shields against institutional decay,” he concluded.