Senate President Godswill Akpabio has declared that the National Assembly will not be held hostage by the “disruptive instincts” of any of its members, insisting that the upper chamber must uphold discipline and respect for its rules to preserve the sanctity of Nigeria’s democracy.
Akpabio made the remark in a statement issued by his media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, on Saturday, titled “The Trials and Triumphs of a Resilient Nigeria’s 10th Senate.”
He said the legislature’s insistence on enforcing its rules was not about silencing dissent but about preserving order and the sanctity of democratic institutions.
Akpabio said, “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.”
Although the Senate President did not name any particular lawmaker, his comments came amid renewed tension surrounding Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central), who recently returned from a six-month suspension that she continues to contest.
Akpabio maintained that discipline in parliamentary conduct was the hallmark of every advanced democracy, noting that the Nigerian Senate shared the same principles with legislatures in countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
Akpabio said, “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He argued that the Senate’s rules were not outdated or symbolic, but an essential part of governance designed to protect fairness, stability, and respect for leadership.
Akpabio further defended the right of the legislature to discipline its members when necessary, drawing parallels with other democracies where lawmakers face suspension or expulsion for violating parliamentary order.
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