Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno has declared that there is no vacancy in the office of the Senate president in the 11th National Assembly, expressing confidence that Godswill Akpabio will retain the position.
Monguno, who represents Borno North Senatorial District, made the declaration during plenary on Thursday, expressing optimism that most serving senators would return after the 2027 general elections.
He was contributing to a discussion following Akpabio’s caution on a debate over the criminalisation or decriminalisation of attempted suicide.
A bill seeking to decriminalise attempted suicide and strengthen support for survivors had scaled second reading in the Senate on Tuesday.
Monguno said, “Insha Allah, by the grace of God, the majority of us are going to make it back to the Senate, and this seat is hereby declared: there is no vacancy.”
“Sir, including the seat of the Deputy Senate President, there is no vacancy, including principal officers,” he added.
Supporting the declaration, Cyril Fasuyi (APC-Ekiti North) said Akpabio had already secured the Senate presidency in the 11th Assembly.
“I hereby support the motion ably moved by Sen. Monguno that the seat of the Senate President in the 11th Assembly is not open to any contest.
“It is already occupied by Sen. Godswill Obot Akpabio,” Fasuyi said.
Akpabio subsequently asked senators to indicate their support or opposition. Ayes rang out loudly in the chamber, while no opposition was recorded.
“I think that settles it,” Akpabio said.
However, he cautioned senators against statements that could be misinterpreted outside the chamber, urging commentators to consider the Senate’s final decisions rather than politicise legislative debates.
He said disagreements among lawmakers were part of the legislative process and should not be misrepresented in ways that could damage individuals’ reputations.
Akpabio also rejected attempts to associate terrorism with any particular religion, insisting that terrorists should not be regarded as representatives of Islam or Christianity.
“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.
He maintained that Islam and Christianity both forbid suicide, adding that religious teachings should not be misinterpreted to justify suicide bombings.
Akpabio urged Nigerians to avoid politically motivated commentary on legislative debates, stressing that senators were committed to making laws in the national interest.
Also contributing, Babangida Hussaini (APC-Jigawa North-West) cited Surah An-Nisa, Chapter 4, Verse 29, of the Quran, saying the holy book prohibited taking one’s own life or killing another person.
“The Quran specifically and unambiguously prohibits taking one’s own life and killing another person.
“There is no question of anybody taking their own life or another person’s life under any pretext. Allah has completely forbidden that,” he said.
Hussaini also said Akpabio had constructed a hostel accommodating more than 300 female students at the Federal Polytechnic, Kazaure, in 2010, when he was governor.
He said suicide bombings and other acts of violence were not peculiar to any religion, adding that psychological challenges and substance abuse could influence some perpetrators. He called for efforts to identify and block sources of hard drugs and other harmful substances entering the country.
