Senate President Godswill Akpabio has affirmed that the National Assembly will not allow any lawmaker to hold the legislature “hostage,” emphasising that discipline and adherence to institutional rules are essential for the survival of Nigeria’s democracy.
Akpabio made the statement on Saturday through his media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, in a release titled “The Trials and Triumphs of a Resilient Nigeria’s 10th Senate.” He clarified that the Senate’s insistence on enforcing its standing orders is not intended to stifle dissent but to maintain order and safeguard the integrity 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. 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 stated.
He further noted that the Upper Chamber’s refusal to be swayed by individual lawmakers underscores the importance of collective responsibility over personal 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,” he said.
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Akpabio also highlighted that parliamentary discipline is a cornerstone of democratic governance, drawing lessons from other established democracies.
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“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, ensuring that debates proceed with respect and precision. No member, regardless of party or popularity, may openly defy the Speaker’s ruling without consequences.
“In Canada’s Parliament, even the fiercest partisans understand that procedure is sacred. Heated disagreements are channelled through decorum, not chaos. Similarly, in Australia, the Senate’s ability to hold the executive accountable depends not on the whims of politics but on the meticulous enforcement of rules that keep legislative integrity intact,” Akpabio said.
He maintained that strong democracies thrive not by avoiding dissent but by managing it within the limits of procedure and respect for institutional order.
“In any democracy, the question is never whether there will be dissent. Instead, it is always about how it will be handled. The real measure of a democratic institution is how it handles internal turbulence. The Tenth Senate has faced its fair share of provocations and personality clashes, yet it has consistently chosen the path of principle over populism. When it insists that rules must be followed and that leadership must be respected, it is not acting out of pride but out of duty. Every time the Senate enforces its Standing Orders, it sends a message that Nigeria’s democracy is strong enough to discipline itself,” the statement added.
