By Oluwabukunmi
Abuja — Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said that the 10th National Assembly will not allow any individual member to hold the Senate “hostage,” stressing that discipline, respect for leadership, and adherence to established procedures are vital to sustaining Nigeria’s democracy.
Akpabio made this known 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.”
According to the Senate President, the chamber’s insistence on enforcing its standing orders and preserving internal discipline is not a move to suppress opposition but a necessary measure to maintain order and protect the sanctity of democratic institutions.
“Without a doubt, Nigeria’s Senate belongs in that global fellowship of parliaments that recognise chaos as the heart of anarchy and order as the soul of democracy,” Akpabio stated.
“Its insistence on upholding internal discipline and protecting the authority of its leadership is, therefore, neither personal nor punitive. It is institutional self-preservation.”
Akpabio said the Senate’s resolve not to be swayed by disruptive tendencies underscores the supremacy of collective responsibility over “individual 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. This is how strong legislatures endure — not by silencing dissent, but by ensuring that dissent respects the bounds of procedure.”
The Senate President further highlighted the importance of parliamentary discipline as a universal benchmark for effective democratic governance, drawing parallels with other established democracies.
He cited examples from the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, noting that in those countries, the authority of the presiding officers is upheld absolutely to ensure order and respect in legislative proceedings.
“The discipline of parliamentary conduct is a universal marker of political civilisation,” he said.
“In the UK’s House of Commons, the authority of the Speaker is absolute and unchallenged. In Canada and Australia, even the fiercest debates are guided by decorum and adherence to rules — not chaos.”
Akpabio said that the 10th Senate has faced internal challenges but has consistently chosen principle over populism.
“In any democracy, the question is never whether there will be dissent but how it will be handled,” he noted.
“The Tenth Senate has faced provocations and personality clashes, yet it has consistently chosen the path of principle over populism. Every time the Senate enforces its Standing Orders, it sends a message that Nigeria’s democracy is strong enough to discipline itself.”
He concluded that respect for institutional order is what distinguishes mature democracies from failing ones and assured Nigerians that the current Senate remains committed to upholding the dignity and stability of the legislature.
