* Says discipline, respect for rules are pillars of democracy

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has declared that the red chamber will not allow any lawmaker to hold it hostage, stressing that discipline, order and adherence to parliamentary procedure remain the bedrock of Nigeria’s democracy.

Akpabio, 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,’ said the insistence of the 10th Senate on enforcing its Standing Orders was not aimed at silencing dissenting voices but at preserving institutional integrity and stability.

He maintained that no democracy can thrive without order and internal discipline, noting that the upper chamber’s resolve to maintain decorum and procedural respect is a sign of maturity, not authoritarianism.

According to him, “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.”

According to the Senate President, the chamber’s collective refusal to be swayed by individual grandstanding underscores its commitment to the principles of collective responsibility.

He said: “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.”

Akpabio compared Nigeria’s Senate to other established democratic parliaments where rules and decorum are sacrosanct. 

“In the United Kingdom’s House of Commons, the Speaker’s authority is absolute and unchallenged, ensuring debates proceed with civility. 

“Similarly, in Canada and Australia, lawmakers channel their disagreements through respect for procedure rather than chaos.

“The discipline of parliamentary conduct is a universal marker of political civilisation.

“Strong democracies thrive not by avoiding dissent but by managing it within the limits of procedure and respect for institutional order,” the Senate President said.

He described the 10th Senate as a “citadel of constitutional governance”, where passion bows to procedure and leadership blends authority with decorum. 

Under his stewardship, Akpabio said, the Senate had reintroduced seriousness and stability into legislative business through consistent enforcement of its rules and focus on national interest.

“Leadership of this sort does not seek applause; it seeks stability. By upholding its Standing Orders, the Senate has reclaimed its moral authority and demonstrated that rules, properly enforced, are not instruments of oppression but shields against institutional decay,” the statement added.

The Senate President also highlighted what he described as the “record of uncommon legislative action” achieved under the 10th Senate. 

In less than two years, he said, the Senate had processed over 90 bills, with more than 50 already receiving presidential assent.

These, according to him, included landmark reforms such as the Nigeria Tax Administration Act and Joint Revenue Board Act, designed to harmonise tax collection across federal, state and local levels for improved fiscal efficiency. 

The Electricity Act (Amendment), Akpabio added, had opened new opportunities for states to generate and distribute power, deepening energy sector decentralisation.

Equally significant is the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, which established the Nigerian Education Loan Fund to ensure access to tertiary education for students from modest backgrounds.

The Senate, he said, had also advanced security-related legislation such as the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act and reforms to the Defence Industries Corporation, to enhance local arms production and tighten oversight of the security sector.

In addition, Akpabio cited the Senate’s role in approving an increased national minimum wage as part of its commitment to social welfare and economic stability.

Beyond lawmaking, he said, the Senate had strengthened its oversight functions through rigorous scrutiny of ministerial nominees, transparent budgetary reviews, and reinvigorated public hearings that serve as platforms for accountability.

“This spirit of constructive collaboration with the executive, balanced by a firm assertion of institutional independence, has restored public confidence in the Senate’s purpose and performance,” he noted.

Akpabio argued that democratic institutions are measured not by the absence of dissent but by their ability to manage internal turbulence without undermining order.

He said: “The real measure of a democratic institution is how it handles internal turbulence.

“When the Senate insists that rules must be followed and leadership respected, it is not acting out of pride but duty. Every time the Senate enforces its Standing Orders, it sends a message that Nigeria’s democracy is strong enough to discipline itself.”

Drawing parallels with the British and Canadian parliaments, he noted that even in the world’s oldest democracies, lawmakers who flout rules face swift disciplinary measures, suspension, expulsion or public apology, to preserve institutional dignity.

“A senator who disregards procedure may think he is exercising personal liberty, but in truth, he is unravelling the very order that gives that liberty meaning,” he said.

Akpabio commended his colleagues for showing restraint and unity despite provocations and political differences, saying the Senate’s cohesion was built on shared commitment to the republic’s greater good.

He stated that: “Under my guidance, the Senate has preserved its institutional dignity while ensuring that disagreements, inevitable in a plural polity, never degenerate into disrespect. 

“This collective resilience distinguishes a mature legislature from a mere gathering of political actors.”

As democratic institutions across the world face public cynicism and populist pressures, Akpabio maintained that Nigeria’s Senate stands out as a stabilising force.

“Its insistence on rule-based conduct, robust legislative output, and respect for leadership all reinforce the idea that democratic governance is sustained not by emotion but by discipline,” he said.

The Senate, he added, remains a beacon of institutional steadiness in turbulent times, demonstrating that Nigeria’s democracy can renew itself through order, maturity and self-discipline.

“In the end, it is not the noise of politics that defines a nation’s greatness, but the calm persistence of its institutions.

“In that regard, the Nigerian Senate stands triumphant, disciplined, dignified and resolutely democratic,” he added.

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