…also issued a stern warning to Oshiomhole, saying: “If you become unruly, we will use the rules to take you out of the Senate.”
ABUJA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times| Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole, has openly criticised Senate President Godswill Akpabio over the recent amendment to the Senate Standing Rules, describing the move as an attempt to stifle competition and protect personal political interests within the National Assembly.
Oshiomhole made the remarks on Thursday while speaking with journalists following his heated confrontation with Akpabio during Wednesday’s plenary session over the newly amended Senate Standing Orders governing eligibility for Senate leadership positions.
The former Edo State governor argued that the amendment, which now requires senators seeking presiding offices to have served at least two consecutive terms immediately before nomination, was unfair, exclusionary, and politically motivated.
“The Senate President became a minority leader, a principal officer during his first term as a Senator during the 8th Senate. Now he’s the one presiding and asking us to change those rules,” Oshiomhole stated.
“As we speak today, the Senate President hasn’t spent up to eight years, even if you count his previous years and his current one. So if we pass the rule that you must do eight consecutive years before you can become Senate President, it means he has to lead by example by vacating because he’s presiding without acquiring the appropriate qualifications,” he added.
Oshiomhole further accused Akpabio of attempting to alter Senate rules out of fear that broader eligibility could increase competition for the Senate Presidency in future sessions.
“More offensive to me is that as leaders who are piloting affairs, we must not make laws to perpetuate anyone,” he said.
Referencing former Senate President David Mark, Oshiomhole argued that past leaders emerged and served successfully without restrictive amendments.
“Those rules that enabled David Mark to serve for eight years, what is wrong with them? Those rules that enabled this Senate President to contest for Senate Presidency, what is wrong with them?” he queried.
“Why change it now? Because the last time he turned out to be the only one from the South-South when it was zoned there, and now he fears that more senators would become eligible, broadening the competition base, so he wants to shrink it.”
The senator also declared that he was not intimidated by threats within the Senate chamber.
“If other people are afraid, I am not afraid. I am only afraid of my creator because whether you tell lies or truth, you cannot adjust your date of death forward or backward,” he added.
The controversy followed a dramatic exchange between both lawmakers during Wednesday’s plenary, barely 24 hours after the Senate amended its standing rules to tighten eligibility requirements for leadership positions in the next Senate session.
Trouble reportedly began when Akpabio commenced the reading of the Votes and Proceedings from Tuesday’s sitting and Oshiomhole attempted to raise a point of order.
Akpabio, however, ruled him out of order, insisting that Senate procedures do not permit such interventions during consideration of Votes and Proceedings under the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended).
Despite the clarification, Oshiomhole continued pressing his objection, prompting Senate Whip Tahir Monguno to caution him against disrupting proceedings and warn that disciplinary actions could be invoked.
Akpabio subsequently directed lawmakers to pages 194 and 195 of the Votes and Proceedings and urged senators to familiarise themselves with Senate rules.
“We should not just go home, buy forms and come here without knowing the rules,” Akpabio remarked during the session.
The Senate President also issued a stern warning to Oshiomhole, saying: “If you become unruly, we will use the rules to take you out of the Senate.”
Proceedings later resumed without further disruption after Senator Adamu Aliero moved for the adoption of the Votes and Proceedings, which was seconded by Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro.
The amended Senate rules have continued to generate controversy within political circles, as the new provisions effectively disqualify first-term senators, including Oshiomhole, from contesting presiding and principal offices in the Red Chamber.
