Senator Adams Oshiomhole on Thursday declared that Senate President Godswill Akpabio would not qualify to occupy the position under the newly amended Senate leadership rules, insisting the presiding officer should resign if the new standard is to be applied fairly.
Speaking with journalists after Wednesday’s tense plenary session, Oshiomhole argued that the amendment mandating at least eight uninterrupted years in the Senate for presiding officers disqualifies Akpabio himself. “Let me explain why this raises a serious moral concern. The Senate President became Minority Leader on his very first day in office during the 8th Senate. He immediately became a principal officer,” Oshiomhole said.
“As we speak today, the Senate President has not spent up to eight years in office. Even if you combine his previous tenure with the current one, it is still not up to eight years,” he stated. “So, if we pass a rule requiring anyone to spend eight consecutive years before becoming Senate President, then he should lead by example by vacating the position, because he himself did not meet that qualification before presiding.”
The Edo North senator accused the Senate leadership of attempting to manipulate the rules to narrow the field of contenders for future leadership positions in the upper chamber. “As leaders who emerged through a process, we must not make laws to favour or perpetuate anyone in office,” he said.
Oshiomhole’s comments followed a heated clash with Akpabio during Wednesday’s plenary, shortly after the Senate amended Orders 4 and 5 of its Standing Rules. The new provisions require that only senators who have served at least two consecutive four-year terms, totaling eight years, immediately preceding their nomination can contest for Senate President or Deputy Senate President. Principal officer posts are similarly restricted.
The rule change effectively shuts out first-term senators like Oshiomhole and other returnee lawmakers from vying for presiding offices in the 11th Senate in 2027. It also impacts prospective aspirants such as Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, Senator Kabiru Marafa, and others who have not met the consecutive service requirement.
The confrontation began when Oshiomhole repeatedly shouted “point of order” during the adoption of Tuesday’s Votes and Proceedings, which contained the amended rules. Akpabio declined to recognise him, citing Order 38 on Senate procedure, and warned, “Oshiomhole, if you become unruly, we will use the rules to take you out of the Senate.” The exchange halted proceedings for about 10 minutes.
Akpabio later subjected the votes and proceedings to a voice vote and ruled in favour of the “ayes” despite audible opposition. The Senate subsequently reversed parts of the controversial amendments on Thursday after Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele moved a motion to rescind the changes, saying they created “unintended tensions with the Constitution.”
Bamidele explained that the Constitution clearly allows senators-elect to participate in the election of presiding officers before taking their oaths. Deputy President of the Senate Barau Jibrin, who presided over plenary, described the motion as “straightforward” and said the Senate acted to align its rules with constitutional provisions.
Oshiomhole faulted the process that led to the earlier amendments, arguing that lawmakers acted in haste. “The way we rushed the rules because certain people wanted certain things concluded is one flaw to this process. That is just the point I want to make, that next time we should allow debate,” he said.
