By Mary Onyia
Fear of losing power and the politics of self-preservation appear to be shaping decisions within the National Assembly, following the latest confrontation between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, over a controversial amendment to the Senate Standing Rules.
The proposed amendment, which sparked uproar during Wednesday’s plenary, was widely believed to be aimed at restricting who could contest for principal offices in the Senate ahead of the 2027 leadership race. The development triggered heated exchanges among lawmakers, with many senators resisting what they described as an attempt to alter the established parliamentary traditions for political advantage.
Tempers reportedly flared when Akpabio threatened to expel Oshiomhole from the chamber during the debate, deepening concerns over growing divisions within the Red Chamber. The tension, however, eased slightly on Thursday after the controversial amendment was formally withdrawn during plenary.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the session, Oshiomhole insisted that the issue had gone beyond politics and had become a moral burden on the Senate leadership. “This rule has a serious moral crisis,” he declared. “The Senate President became minority leader in his first term. He is now the one presiding and asking us to change those rules so that people who have done one term cannot even contest.”
The former Edo State governor argued that Akpabio lacked the moral authority to champion such an amendment, noting that the Senate President himself had not spent eight consecutive years in the chamber. “As we speak today, the Senate President has not done eight years in office, even if you count the previous one plus the current one,” Oshiomhole said.
He further maintained that if the Senate eventually adopts a rule requiring senators to serve eight consecutive years before contesting for Senate President, Akpabio should be the first to comply. “If we pass the rule that we must do eight consecutive years before you can become Senate President, then he must lead by example by vacating the seat because he is presiding without acquiring the necessary qualification,” Oshiomhole added.
Although the amendment has now been withdrawn, political observers believe the controversy reflects deeper anxieties over succession battles and control of the Senate ahead of 2027. Some Nigerians have alleged that the proposed rule change was strategically designed to block potential contenders, including Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma and other lawmakers believed to be eyeing the leadership of the Upper Chamber.