‘Akpabio may not legally qualify as Senate President’- Oshiomhole

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has cast doubt on the legitimacy of Senator Godswill Akpabio’s Senate Presidency, suggesting that he may not be eligible to preside over the upper legislative chamber based on the current Senate Standing Order.

The federal lawmaker representing Edo North Senatorial District, in an interview on Arise, backed the argument made by Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, SAN, who raised concerns about the amendment to the Senate Standing Order.

According to Oshiomhole, the current rules disqualify Akpabio from assuming the role of Senate President due to his failure to meet the minimum eligibility requirements.

“The fight is not over. The current Senate President served a 4-year term, lost his re-election bid, served as a minister, and returned this term to become Senate President again,” Oshiomhole explained. “If you add his first term to his current term, he still has not served 8 years. If 8 years is the minimum requirement, Senator Akpabio does not qualify to preside because he has not met it. If he assumed the role in error, that error must be corrected.”

Oshiomhole also highlighted the significance of the word “consecutively” in the Senate Standing Order, arguing that it effectively reduces the Senate President’s term to three years for ranking purposes.

“These kinds of laws are what breed dictatorship in Africa,” he added, suggesting that the current setup could lead to an imbalance in the political process if not properly addressed.