Oshiomhole Asks Akpabio to Step Down Over Amended Senate Rules

Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio to resign following the Senate’s amendment of its standing rules on leadership eligibility.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Oshiomhole described the new rules as morally flawed, arguing that Akpabio would not qualify to hold office under the same conditions now being introduced.

The Senate recently amended its standing rules to require candidates for presiding offices to have completed at least two consecutive and uninterrupted terms in the chamber.

Oshiomhole said the amendment raised questions about fairness and consistency, noting that Akpabio himself became Senate minority leader during his first term before later emerging as Senate president.

“This rule has serious moral crisis,” Oshiomhole said. “The Senate president became minority leader in his first term and is now presiding over rules that would stop others with similar experience from contesting.”

He argued that Akpabio had not completed eight consecutive years in the Senate and therefore should not remain in office if the new requirements were strictly applied.

According to him, “If we pass the rule that senators must complete eight consecutive years before becoming Senate president, then he should lead by example and vacate the seat because he does not meet that qualification.”

Oshiomhole also criticised the timing of the amendment, accusing the Senate leadership of narrowing the field ahead of future contests for leadership positions in the 11th Senate.

Referencing former Senate President David Mark, he said previous leaders benefited from existing rules without attempting to restrict eligibility for others.

“Those rules enabled David Mark to serve for eight years. Why change them now?” he asked. “It appears designed to limit competition by reducing the number of eligible senators.”

The comments come days after a public disagreement between Oshiomhole and Akpabio over the amended Senate rules and their implications for future leadership contests in the upper chamber.