Senate President Godswill Akpabio has warned Nigerians against taking lawmakers’ contributions during plenary out of context, insisting that individual opinions expressed during debates should not be mistaken for the Senate’s final position.
Akpabio gave the warning on Thursday amid public reactions to his opposition to a bill seeking to decriminalise attempted suicide and replace imprisonment with medical treatment, rehabilitation and psychological support.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing Cross River South, scaled second reading during Tuesday’s plenary, triggering debate over whether survivors of suicide attempts should be prosecuted or treated as people requiring medical and mental health intervention.
Akpabio had opposed the proposed decriminalisation, insisting that attempted suicide should remain a criminal offence, a position that drew attention and criticism following his remarks that survivors should be jailed.
Addressing the issue during Thursday’s plenary, the Senate President said legislative debates were characterised by opposing views and that public commentators should wait for the chamber’s final decisions before drawing conclusions.
He said, “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.”
He added that lawmakers must be allowed to disagree during deliberations without their contributions being misrepresented or used to damage 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 said.
Akpabio specifically cautioned television panellists and other public commentators against interpreting legislative proceedings through political considerations rather than the substance of the issues under consideration.
“No matter the discussion, please consider the final decision of the Senate. Don’t go and sit down in panels and try to do politically motivated discussions,” he added.
The Senate President also addressed the relationship between terrorism and religion, rejecting attempts to associate violent acts with any particular faith.
“Terrorists are not Muslims. Terrorists are not Christians. Terrorists are human beings who believe in taking their lives and the lives of others,” he said.
Akpabio maintained that Islam prohibits suicide and killing, arguing that claims about suicide bombers expecting rewards in paradise should not be used to misrepresent the religion.
He further argued that discussions on suicide legislation should distinguish between people experiencing mental health challenges and those who deliberately take their 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 said.
He said the Senate’s responsibility was to make laws that addressed societal challenges while taking relevant circumstances into account.
To reinforce his position on religious tolerance, Akpabio cited his record of supporting both Muslim and Christian pilgrims during his tenure as governor, saying he had sponsored 5,800 Muslims to the Holy Land and more than 10,000 Christians to Rome and Jerusalem.
He also referred to his longstanding relationship with Muslim members of his staff, saying he regarded them as family rather than defining them by their religious affiliations.
“My ADC for 19 years is a Muslim. I don’t recognise him as a Muslim. I recognise him as a brother,” he said.
Akpabio added that more than 65 per cent of his staff were Muslims, insisting that he had no reason to speak disparagingly of Islam.
“There’s no way I will talk down on Muslim religion,” he said.
The Suicide Prevention Bill 2026 seeks to address what its sponsor described as inconsistencies in Nigeria’s legal framework, under which the National Mental Health Act recognises attempted suicide as a psychiatric emergency requiring intervention, while provisions of the Criminal Code and Penal Code continue to criminalise the act.
Presenting the bill, Ekpenyong argued that survivors should receive medical assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and follow-up support rather than face imprisonment.
The proposed legislation also seeks to establish crisis helplines, promote public awareness, train police officers, teachers and health workers, and create a national data system to strengthen suicide prevention efforts.
Akpabio, however, argued during Tuesday’s debate that attempted suicide should remain a criminal offence, saying, “As far as we are concerned, we are saying that suicide is a crime for now. Therefore, if you attempt it, you better succeed.
“If you don’t succeed, we will send you to prison,” the Senate President said.
He subsequently reiterated his position, saying, “if you attempt it and don’t succeed, we will jail you.”
The Senate President also raised concerns about the legal implications of the proposed reform, noting that attempted suicide was covered by both the Criminal Code and the Penal Code and that state legislatures would need to be involved in the process.
The bill has been referred to the Senate Committees on Judiciary and Health for further legislative action, including a public hearing.
Its passage for second reading means the Senate has agreed to proceed with further consideration of the proposals.
It, however, does not amount to final approval or an amendment of the existing law.