Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called for the resignation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio following controversy over a proposed amendment to the Senate Standing Orders on eligibility for presiding and principal offices in the next Senate.
Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North Senatorial District, said the proposed rule change raises serious questions about fairness, morality and leadership credibility within the upper legislative chamber. The amendment concerns who will be qualified to contest for key Senate leadership positions, including presiding and principal officer roles, in the next National Assembly.
The former Edo State governor argued that it would be wrong for current Senate leaders to alter the rules in a way that could narrow the field of eligible contestants after some of them had benefited from more flexible arrangements in the past.
According to him, any rule that imposes stricter eligibility requirements on future aspirants must also be measured against the record of those currently occupying leadership positions.
Oshiomhole said Akpabio should lead by example if the Senate proceeds with a rule that requires longer or more consecutive legislative experience before a senator can seek top leadership office. He argued that the Senate President would be morally bound to step aside if he does not meet the same standard being proposed for others.
The controversy followed the Senate’s move to amend its Standing Orders by tightening the conditions for lawmakers seeking leadership positions. Reports indicate that the revised rules would restrict eligibility for certain offices to ranking senators, with stricter requirements for those seeking principal officer positions in the next Senate.
Oshiomhole described the development as troubling, warning that rules governing leadership in the Senate should not be changed in a manner that appears designed to protect incumbents or shut out potential challengers.
He maintained that the Senate must remain a democratic institution where leadership contests are guided by fairness, competence and the will of members, rather than rules that could be interpreted as self-serving.
The call for Akpabio’s resignation has now deepened the political tension surrounding the proposed amendment, especially as lawmakers begin early positioning ahead of the next National Assembly.
The dispute also raises broader concerns about internal democracy, succession politics and the use of parliamentary rules to shape future leadership contests in the Senate.
As the debate continues, attention is expected to shift to how senators respond to Oshiomhole’s challenge and whether the leadership of the chamber will review the proposed rule in the face of growing criticism.
For now, the controversy has opened a fresh fault line in the Senate, with Oshiomhole insisting that any leadership rule must be applied with integrity and must not be used to limit competition in the next Senate.
