The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has warned political parties against denying experienced lawmakers tickets to seek re-election, saying such decisions could deprive the National Assembly of valuable institutional knowledge and weaken democratic governance.
He asked political parties to prioritise competence, experience and contributions to lawmaking when selecting candidates for subsequent elections, rather than treating legislative positions as political rewards.
The Senate President spoke on Thursday while acknowledging the contributions of Francis Faduyile, a professor and former president of the Nigerian Medical Association, whom he said had the experience and expertise to contribute meaningfully to the Senate.
“It is not good for a senator to serve in the Senate for only one year and then leave. Political parties must take a closer look at their decisions, particularly when dealing with serious-minded individuals who can make meaningful contributions to legislation and national development,” Akpabio said.
He added that denying capable lawmakers tickets deprived the legislature of their experience.
“Denying such individuals tickets deprives the legislature of their experience,” he said.
The Senate President stressed that the National Assembly should not be treated as a platform for political patronage, insisting that competence, experience and commitment to national development should guide decisions on legislative representation.
“The Senate is not a place for sharing political largesse,” Akpabio declared.
He acknowledged that political considerations within individual states often influenced decisions on candidates but urged party leaders to recognise the importance of retaining experienced lawmakers.
Akpabio cited Akwa Ibom State as an example, saying he had thanked the governor for supporting the return of three senators to the National Assembly.
According to him, retaining experienced lawmakers would strengthen legislative institutions, improve debates and enhance the quality of laws enacted to address Nigeria’s challenges.
To illustrate the importance of continuity in legislative service, Akpabio cited the United States, where some lawmakers have spent decades in the Senate.
He referenced former US Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, who served for 51 years, and former President Joe Biden, who represented Delaware in the Senate from 1973 to 2009.
“That is the kind of experience we are talking about,” Akpabio said.
He argued that long-serving lawmakers acquired institutional knowledge and legislative expertise that could improve parliamentary proceedings and the lawmaking process.
Akpabio said Nigeria needed to build a democratic system in which the legislature was recognised as a critical institution of governance rather than a platform for political compensation.
“We must ensure that the legislature is firmly entrenched in Nigeria’s democratic system and is not treated as a place for political compensation,” he said.
He further noted that the effectiveness of government depended significantly on the quality of laws passed by the National Assembly.
“It is a serious matter because the quality of our laws determines the quality of governance,” he said.
Questioning how the country could achieve effective governance without sound legislation, Akpabio urged lawmakers to focus on laws that addressed the needs and aspirations of Nigerians.
“If we do not make good laws, how can we ensure that Nigeria is properly governed? We must enact laws that genuinely improve the lives of Nigerians,” he added.
The Senate President also cited the recent Senate debate on the decriminalisation of suicide, which attracted considerable attention on social media, as evidence of growing public interest in legislative activities.
He welcomed the public engagement, saying it showed that Nigerians were following parliamentary proceedings and expressing interest in issues being considered by their representatives.
Akpabio urged senators to use the attention to improve the quality of debates and ensure that legislative decisions reflected the public interest.
“We must continue to put our best foot forward, deepen democracy through good laws and strengthen the legislature as a central institution of Nigerian democracy,” he said.
He congratulated senators on their legislative work and urged them to proceed to their respective committees to continue deliberations on pending matters.