Akpabio threatens Oshiomhole: Senate plenary turns chaotic over new rules
By: Abudu Olalekan
A clash erupted in Abuja when Senate President Godswill Akpabio warned he’d remove Adams Oshiomhole from the room amid fierce arguments about how leaders should be chosen. Though tempers ran high, the session pressed on without pause. Voices rose one after another, filling the hall with tension. What started as procedure quickly became personal. No agreement came easily that day. Moments like these tend to linger longer than rulings.
Should you find Nigerian politics dull, then somehow the Senate’s recent moves escaped your notice.
Wednesday nearly sparked chaos in Abuja. Things came close to tipping over inside the Senate chambers. The man leading the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, made it clear – he would remove Adams Oshiomhole by force if needed. Oshiomhole, once boss of Edo State, sat right there among lawmakers. Words flew, sharp and loud. Akpabio didn’t whisper his warning – he said he’d physically haul him out. That moment hung heavy, real, impossible to ignore
Out of nowhere, the Senate began going over last Tuesday’s records. As they dug into the details, tension crept in – this wasn’t just routine work. A sharp shift came with an explosive proposal on the table. Instead of moving fast, voices rose one after another. Hidden stakes emerged: some lawmakers might lose their shot at powerful roles soon. Rules shifted underfoot, quietly locking doors for specific members down the line.
Who could this rule touch? Right – Oshiomhole.
Out of nowhere, Oshiomhole refused to stay quiet. Shouting “point of order!” again and again, he rose slightly but stayed seated, desperate to halt what was unfolding. Noise took over. Each time he broke in, the rhythm of the session slipped further behind.
For a moment, Akpabio had enough of the chaos, so he turned to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and quietly requested he walk Oshiomhole through how things work in the Senate. Without delay, Kalu rose, labeled Oshiomhole’s actions as repeating without reason, then dropped into his seat again. That move brought little change.
Finding no one else willing, Akpabio stepped in without asking twice.
“If you are a soldier, you behave like a soldier,” Akpabio warned. “If you are a police officer, you behave like a police officer. So if you are a senator, you must go by the rules.”
Only after that did he declare Oshiomhole’s remarks unacceptable.
Still, Oshiomhole wasn’t one to retreat without a fight. From where he sat, loud words spilled out, insisting someone listen. Then came the Chief Whip – Senator Mohammed Monguno – moving forward. His voice cut through, telling Oshiomhole to settle down or face consequences under his authority.
Yet it was Akpabio who struck last. Loud now, cutting through the chaos, he broke.
“If you become unruly, I will take you out of the Senate.”
Word came through from journalists at Reportersroom that the warning had an effect. Oshiomhole, after that, settled. Interruptions ended. The session carried on without more outbursts.
Just another day in Nigerian politics.
