Why Nigerians Are Calling Godswill Akpabio the Worst Senate President Yet
The internet woke up buzzing like a Lagos market this morning because Senate President Godswill Akpabio found himself at the centre of another firestorm. From baffling courtroom comments to an “invitation” that felt like a slap in the face of a nation wrestling with insecurity, the man is now being labelled by many as the country’s worst SP.
The sentencing saga that blew up the Senate
It all started when former governor Adams Oshiomhole took to the floor and pointed out a glaring inconsistency in how our courts treat terror‑related crimes. He reminded senators that a Boko Haram/ISWAP commander, Husaini Ismaila, was recently convicted of terrorism and handed a 15‑year and a 20‑year sentence – to run concurrently from 31 August 2017.
Oshiomhole then contrasted that with the case of Sunday Jackson, a farmer from Adamawa who, back in 2014, was attacked by a herder, fought back and killed his assailant. Instead of being praised, Jackson was arrested, tried for murder and sentenced to death in 2021. His appeal this March was rejected by the Supreme Court, upholding the death verdict.
What set the blood boiling was Oshiomhole’s claim that the law explicitly calls for capital punishment for terrorism – a rule that, according to him, was ignored in Ismaila’s case. Akpabio, looking bewildered, seemed to be hearing this for the first time, prompting a wave of social media users to rate him even lower on the “worst SP” leaderboard.
Akpabio’s dinner invitation that sparked outrage
While the nation was still digesting the sentencing controversy, Akpabio turned the Senate floor into a promotional stage for a “very important” dinner hosted by First Lady Remi Tinubu. He described the First Lady as the “mother” and the senators as “her children,” inviting them to a sumptuous feast on Friday.
For many Nigerians, the timing was tone‑deaf. The country is still grappling with kidnappings, farm attacks, and the lingering threat of Boko Haram. To hear the Senate President wax poetic about a lavish dinner felt like a slap in the face of those who are losing lives daily.
Silencing dissent and the rubber‑stamp image
Things got messier yesterday when Bayelsan Senator Seriake dared to call out Akpabio and his APC colleagues for “unnecessarily hailing” the First Lady and allegedly lying about the security situation. As soon as he finished, his microphone was switched off – a move that sent shockwaves across Twitter and sparked a chorus of #MicDrop memes.
Adding fuel to the fire, Akpabio’s recent comment on the abduction of schoolgirls and worshippers was cold‑blooded: “It’s not new; crimes happen all over the world, even in America.” The remark was widely condemned as an attempt to downplay the gravity of the crisis, reinforcing the perception that the Senate under his watch is nothing more than a rubber‑stamp for the executive.
What Nigerians are saying now
From Lagos to Bauchi, the sentiment is clear – Akpabio’s leadership is being questioned. Social media users are flooding timelines with memes, GIFs, and the hashtag #WorstSP. Many are calling for accountability, demanding that the Senate focus on real security reforms instead of dinner parties and scripted praise.
Meanwhile, trending accounts like @TrendingEx are breaking down the saga daily, and some are even nudging citizens to consider moving their estates to @VendrNg for a smoother financial future.
One thing is for sure: the pressure on Akpabio is mounting, and the next Senate session will be a litmus test of whether he can regain any of the lost trust. Until then, keep your eyes on the Senate floor – the drama is far from over.
