Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said the National Assembly will not allow itself to be undermined by what he described as the “disruptive instincts” of any of its members, stressing that the enforcement of parliamentary rules is essential to maintaining order and protecting Nigeria’s democracy.
Akpabio stated this in a statement issued on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, titled “The Trials and Triumphs of a Resilient Nigeria’s 10th Senate.”
The Senate President said the enforcement of discipline within the upper chamber was not aimed at silencing dissenting voices but at safeguarding the integrity of democratic institutions.
“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.
He added that the Nigerian Senate’s Standing Orders were designed to preserve fairness, consistency, and the sanctity of the legislative process, stressing that parliamentary discipline is a global standard in democratic practice.
“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 noted.
Akpabio’s remarks come amid a dispute involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central), who recently returned to the chamber after a six-month suspension and has continued to contest the disciplinary action.
The Senate President maintained that the legislature has the constitutional right to sanction members who breach parliamentary order, citing examples from other advanced democracies.
“In the world’s most respected parliaments, members who flout rules face swift consequences. 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 said.
Describing the 10th Senate as “a chamber of resilience and balance,” Akpabio said its leadership was committed to ensuring stability and collective responsibility.
“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. This is how strong legislatures endure — not by silencing dissent, but by ensuring that dissent respects the bounds of procedure,” he said.
Akpabio added that his leadership style emphasises firmness, inclusion, and respect for due process, noting that the Senate must remain a stabilising institution in the face of growing 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 stated.
