The simmering battle over the future leadership of the Senate exploded into open confrontation on Thursday as Senator Adams Oshiomhole demanded the resignation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio over controversial amendments to the Senate Standing Orders ahead of the 2027 succession race.
The Edo North senator accused Akpabio of presiding over what he described as a “moral crisis” in the upper chamber by backing rules that could restrict eligibility for future Senate presidents and principal officers.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Oshiomhole said the new framework appeared tailored to narrow the field of potential contenders.
“This rule has serious moral crisis. The Senate President became minority leader in his first term. He is now the one presiding and asking us to change those rules so that even those who have done one term can’t contest,” Oshiomhole declared.
Under the revised provisions initially approved by the Senate this week, only lawmakers who have served at least two uninterrupted consecutive terms would qualify to contest for presiding offices in the chamber.
Oshiomhole argued that Akpabio himself would fail the standard being proposed because his Senate service has not been continuous.
“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,” he said.
“So if we pass the rule that we must do eight consecutive years before you can become Senate President, it means he has to live by example by vacating, because he is presiding without acquiring the necessary qualification.”
The former Edo State governor also invoked the tenure of former Senate President David Mark, accusing the current leadership of attempting to rewrite rules after benefiting from existing conventions.
“David Mark had the honour and privilege of serving as Senate President for eight years, not by playing by the rules,” Oshiomhole said.
“Those rules that enabled David Mark to preside for eight years, what happened to them? Why change them now because he fears that more senators will be eligible, which will broaden the competitive base? So he wants to choke it. If other people are afraid, I am not.”
The confrontation followed dramatic scenes in plenary earlier this week when Akpabio and Oshiomhole engaged in a heated exchange over the interpretation of the amended standing orders.
Proceedings were disrupted for more than 10 minutes after Oshiomhole repeatedly attempted to raise a point of order while Akpabio was reading the Votes and Proceedings.
Akpabio ruled him out of order, citing Senate rules prohibiting interventions during that stage of proceedings. Former Chief Whip Orji Uzor Kalu was called upon to clarify the rules and backed the Senate President’s position.
The standoff escalated after Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno warned Oshiomhole against further disruption.
A visibly irritated Akpabio then issued a stern warning on the floor of the chamber.
“Senator Oshiomhole, for the last time, if you become unruly in the Senate, we will use the same rules to remove you from the Senate,” Akpabio said.
Political observers say the confrontation reflects growing jostling within the ruling APC ahead of the 2027 political cycle, with several senators already believed to be positioning for the Senate presidency.
Amid mounting criticism, the Senate on Thursday partially reversed aspects of the amended standing orders, restoring the old procedure that allows senators-elect to elect presiding officers before taking their oath of office.
The latest clash has further exposed deep divisions within the Senate caucus and signalled what analysts describe as an early power struggle over succession in the Red Chamber.
