By Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja
In the records of the fastest men alive, it used to be Usain Bolt that held the record!!!
However, His Excellency Godswill Obot Akpabio-GOA is now taking over from Usain Bolt.
In terms of the unprecedented fast speed with which Akpabio’s Senate takes decisions on issues that are of importance to Akpabio-GOA and his cronies (PBAT and Wike), it appears that Usain Bolt “dey learn work”, as we like to say in pidgin English!!!
In the history of legislatures in Nigeria, Akpabio’s Senate holds the record as the fastest in terms of the duration of time between charging any Senator and the imposition of suspension.
In the case of Senator Abdul Ningi, it was only a matter of hours between when he granted the interview with BBC Hausa service and when the Akpabio’s Senate imposed a 90-day suspension upon Senator Ningi on 12th March 2024!!!
In the case of Senator Natasha, the alleged misconduct happened on 20th February 2025, by 6th March 2025, she was suspended for six months!!!
In contrast, under the Saraki’s Senate (2015 to 2019), Senator Omo-Agege’s alleged infraction happened in February 2018, his 90 day suspension was pronounced in April 2018.
Another unprecedented speed of Akpabio’s Senate was when within one week of September 2024, the amendment of the Police Act, 2020 was completed to elongate the tenure of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) at the behest of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT’S) administration!!!
Contrary to the traditional and constitutional requirement for the Senate to hold consultations and public hearings as part of the legislative process, in this instance, Akpabio’s Senate ignored this requirement!!!
This was not the first time that Akpabio’s Senate was ignoring the requirement to hold consultations with constituents and members of the public.
In the enactment of the National Anthem Act, 2024, which was also enacted by Akpabio’s Senate within one week in May 2024, there was no public hearing.
The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN publicly condemned this action of Akpabio’s Senate. In his opinion, Akpabio’s Senate ought to have undertaken a referendum to ascertain the views of Nigerian citizens on whether they preferred the older version of Nigeria’s National Anthem.
The AGF’S is on record as describing the action of Akpabio’s Senate in this instance as an exercise of “legislative fiat”!!!
It appears that Akpabio’s Senate is not yet done with setting the records as the fastest Legislature in Nigeria’s history because on 20th March 2025, they endorsed by voice votes the Proclamation of a State of Emergency in Rivers State, which was declared only two days earlier by PBAT on 18th March 2025.
Again in this instance, there was no public hearing to ascertain the views of Nigerians who are the constituents that allegedly voted the members of Akpabio’s Senate into office!!!
In contrast, the Snail-Speed with which Akpabio’s Senate handles Pro-Poor People’s Legislation is noteworthy!!!
For example, the Bill for an Act to amend the National Minimum Wage Act, 2019 to increase the National Minimum Wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000 was submitted to Akpabio’s Senate in the month of July 2024.
It took a whole month before it was enacted and received the assent of the President the following month of August 2024.
The implementation of the said new minimum wage of ₦70,000 also proceeded at Snail-Speed!!!
This article is just to let members of Akpabio’s Senate to be aware that we are observing all the antics!!!!
