The present tenth Senate has declared help for Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s return as presiding officer of the eleventh National Assembly, with Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno and Senator Cyril Fasuyi declaring that there’s “no vacancy” within the Senate presidency.
The lawmakers made their positions identified throughout yesterday’s plenary, the place Monguno, representing Borno North, expressed confidence that Akpabio would retain the place, whereas Fasuyi, representing Ekiti North, brazenly backed his second-term ambition.
“Insha Allah, by the grace of God, the majority of us are going to make it back to the Senate, and this seat is hereby declared: there is no vacancy,” Monguno mentioned.
He prolonged the declaration to the workplace of the Deputy Senate President and different principal officers of the Senate.
Fasuyi additionally expressed help for Akpabio’s return, insisting that the Senate presidency within the subsequent Assembly is already occupied.
“I hereby support the motion ably moved by Senator Monguno that the seat of the Senate President in the 11th Assembly is not open to any contest. It is already occupied by Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio,” Fasuyi mentioned.
Following the declarations, Akpabio requested senators whether or not the place mirrored the overall view of the chamber.
When he known as on these in help to say “aye,” the response was audible throughout the chamber. When he requested for opposing voices, no audible response was recorded.
“I think that settles it,” Akpabio mentioned.
Recall that Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, who can be within the senatorial contest, is looking for to emerge the subsequent Senate President.
The alternate signalled help from the 2 lawmakers for Akpabio’s return as Senate President, though the management of the eleventh National Assembly will likely be decided by the formal election course of.
Meanwhile Akpabio cautioned Nigerians in opposition to taking legislative debates out of context, significantly discussions regarding whether or not suicide ought to stay a prison offence.
The Senate President urged commentators to differentiate between particular person contributions throughout debates and the ultimate selections reached by the Senate.
“When we discuss here, we discuss for and against, and in the course of our discussions, whatever we say should not anger anybody outside this chamber, because at the end, what matters is our final decision,” Akpabio mentioned.
The warning adopted public reactions to feedback made throughout deliberations on the Suicide Prevention Bill 2026, sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South.
The invoice scaled second studying throughout Tuesday’s plenary in Abuja, prompting debate over whether or not individuals who survive suicide makes an attempt ought to face prosecution or obtain medical and psychological help.
Akpabio mentioned lawmakers have to be free to precise opposing views throughout debates with out their remarks being misinterpreted or used to wreck their reputations.
“We want to make the best laws, so we are bound to oppose each other, and we are also bound to support each other,” he mentioned.
He urged tv commentators and different public commentators to keep away from politically motivated interpretations of legislative proceedings.
“No matter the discussion, please take the final decision of the Senate into consideration. Don’t go and sit down in panels and try to do politically motivated discussions,” he added.
Akpabio additionally rejected makes an attempt to affiliate terrorism with any explicit faith, insisting that acts of violence shouldn’t be used to stigmatise spiritual communities.
“Terrorists are not Muslims. Terrorists are not Christians. Terrorists are human beings who believe in taking their lives and the lives of others,” he mentioned.
He maintained that Islam prohibits suicide and killing, arguing that claims about suicide bombers anticipating rewards in paradise shouldn’t be used to misrepresent the faith.
According to him, discussions on suicide laws ought to distinguish between individuals experiencing psychological well being challenges and those that intentionally take their very own lives or kill others.
“You have to distinguish between suicide committed by people who are mentally disturbed and suicide intentionally committed by people who are physically sound,” Akpabio mentioned.
He added that the Senate’s goal was to make legal guidelines that tackle societal challenges whereas taking related circumstances under consideration.
The Senate President additionally defended his report of sustaining relationships throughout spiritual traces, citing his help for Muslim and Christian pilgrims throughout his tenure as governor.
Akpabio mentioned he had sponsored 5,800 Muslims to the Holy Land and greater than 10,000 Christians to Rome and Jerusalem.
He additionally cited his longstanding relationship with Muslim members of his employees, saying he regarded them as brothers quite than defining them by their spiritual affiliations.
“My ADC for 19 years is a Muslim. I don’t recognise him as a Muslim. I recognise him as a brother,” he mentioned.
Akpabio added that greater than 65 per cent of his employees had been Muslims, insisting that he had no purpose to talk disparagingly of Islam.
“There’s no way I will talk down on the Muslim religion,” he mentioned.
He urged Nigerians to give attention to the substance of public debates quite than misrepresenting lawmakers’ positions or making an attempt to wreck their reputations.
The plenary session thus featured each expressions of help for Akpabio’s potential return as Senate President within the eleventh National Assembly and his enchantment for accountable public interpretation of legislative debates.
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