A controversial statement made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio in 2016 has resurfaced amid a wave of defections currently rocking the Nigerian Senate, sparking accusations of hypocrisy and double standards.

The statement, posted on Akpabio's official Facebook page in November 2016 when he was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), categorically stated that any senator who defects from the party on whose platform they were elected must forfeit their seat.

"As lawmakers, Senators must not encourage political rascality. That is why PDP Senators today staged a walkout to protest the purported defection of Senator Yele Omogunwa, who was elected on the platform of the PDP but claimed he wants to defect to the APC to support the Governor-elect of his state. The constitution is clear on this: if a Senator defects to another political party, he loses his seat," Akpabio wrote at the time.

Nearly a decade later, Akpabio, now Senate President under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), faces criticism for allegedly protecting senators defecting from opposition parties, particularly the PDP, to the APC.

Recent Wave of Defections

The Senate has witnessed several high-profile defections in recent weeks. On May 9, 2025, all three serving PDP senators from Kebbi State—Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South)—announced their defection to the APC following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Earlier in February, Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North, also formally joined the APC from the PDP.

Despite these defections, Akpabio has not called for any of the senators' seats to be declared vacant, a stark contrast to his position in 2016.

PDP Senators Stage Protest

In a symbolic protest reminiscent of Akpabio's own 2016 stance, PDP senators recently walked out of plenary, demanding that the Senate leadership uphold constitutional provisions regarding party defections.

Speaking on behalf of the protesting lawmakers, Senator Abba Moro (Benue South) said: "We cannot stand by and watch as the sanctity of our democratic institutions is eroded by political expediency. If the Senate President once believed in protecting party mandates, he must now prove it by his actions."

The opposition senators described the situation as "legislative banditry" and called for consistency in applying constitutional principles.

Public Reaction

The resurfaced Facebook post has triggered widespread reactions across Nigeria, with many citizens questioning Akpabio's consistency on constitutional matters and accusing him of applying different standards based on political convenience.

Political analysts note that this controversy highlights ongoing tensions in Nigeria's legislative chambers and raises questions about the enforcement of constitutional provisions regarding political party membership and representation.

As of press time, the Senate President's office had not issued an official response to the allegations of double standards.