Oshiomhole Calls for Akpabio’s Resignation Over Senate Standing Orders

Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has called on Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to resign over the controversial amendment to the Senate Standing Orders regulating the election of presiding and principal officers.

Oshiomhole made the demand amid growing controversy surrounding the amendment, which sought to restrict eligibility for Senate leadership positions to ranking lawmakers.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, the former Edo State governor described the amended rules as morally flawed, arguing that Akpabio himself would not qualify under the conditions being proposed.

According to him, Akpabio became Senate Minority Leader during his first term in the chamber and is currently presiding over the Senate without having completed eight years as a lawmaker.

He argued that any attempt to impose a rule requiring senators to complete two terms before contesting for Senate President would create what he called a “moral crisis.”

Oshiomhole maintained that if such a rule was allowed to stand, the Senate President should “lead by example” by vacating the office.

The senator faulted what he described as efforts to narrow the field of contenders for leadership positions in the Senate through procedural amendments.

The controversy, however, subsided after the Senate reversed the amendment during plenary on Thursday.

The decision followed a motion sponsored by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, and adopted under the supervision of Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau.

Before the reversal, the amended Standing Orders had stipulated that only senators who had completed two terms, including one immediately preceding nomination, could contest for principal offices.

The Senate later withdrew the amendment following concerns over possible constitutional inconsistencies and mounting opposition within the chamber.