Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North/APC) has called for the resignation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio following the controversy surrounding the recent amendment to the Senate Standing Orders regulating the emergence of presiding and principal officers.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Oshiomhole criticised the revised rules, describing them as evidence of what he termed a “moral crisis” within the Senate. According to him, the amendment raises serious concerns about equity, qualifications and ethical leadership in the upper legislative chamber.
The former Edo State governor maintained that Akpabio would no longer qualify to preside over the Senate under the same rules currently being proposed and debated.
He stated, “This rule has serious moral crisis. The Senate president became minority leader on his first term. He is now the one presiding and asking us to change those rules even those who have done one term can’t even contest.
“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.
“So if we pass the rule that we must do eight consecutive years before you can become Senate president, it means he has to lead by example by vacating because he is presiding without acquiring necessary qualification.”
Oshiomhole also referenced the tenure of former Senate President David Mark, arguing that leaders should not alter rules after benefiting from existing provisions.
“More offensive to me is that as leaders who are products of by-laws, we must not make laws to perpetrate anyone. David Mark had the honour and privilege of serving as Senate president for eight years, not by playing by the rules.
“Those rules that enabled David Mark to preside for eight years, what happened to them? Why changing them now because he fears that more senators will be eligible which will broaden the competitive base. So he wants to soak it. If other people are afraid, I am not,” he added.
The demand for Akpabio’s resignation follows recent heated debates in the Senate over the amendment to the Standing Orders, which introduced tougher conditions for senators seeking principal offices in the 11th National Assembly.
Under the revised rules approved on Tuesday, only lawmakers who have served at least two uninterrupted consecutive terms would be eligible to contest for key leadership positions, including Senate president and other principal offices.
However, the Senate on Thursday reversed aspects of the amendments to Orders 2(2) and 3(1), citing concerns that parts of the changes could conflict with Section 52 of the 1999 Constitution.
