By Our Political Editor
If you have been following the Senate in recent weeks, you would have noticed that things are not exactly calm. Last Tuesday, a familiar tension returned to the chamber. Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Adams Oshiomhole went at it over some changes to the Senate Standing Rules. On the surface, it was about procedure. But anyone who follows Nigerian politics knows that procedure is often just a cover for something deeper.
The amendments they were debating had to do with who can become Senate President. Under the new rules, a senator must have served at least two consecutive terms — that is eight years — or held a principal officer position in a previous Senate before they can contest for the top job. What that means in simple terms is that first-term senators need not apply. And that, of course, includes Oshiomhole, who is currently serving his first term.
Oshiomhole saw what was happening. He raised objections on the floor, arguing that the Senate should not create rules that shut out capable members just because they haven’t been around long enough. He said competence should matter more than tenure. But when the amendments were put to a voice vote, Oshiomhole kept shouting “Point of Order” while Akpabio simply moved on. He was basically the only voice against the changes, and it made no difference.
To understand why this matters, we have to go back to 2023.
A Quick Look Back at 2023
When the 10th Senate was being inaugurated, the fight for the Senate presidency was intense. Akpabio and Oshiomhole were on opposite sides then too. Oshiomhole, who had just been elected senator for Edo North, was ambitious. He had been national chairman of the APC, he was a former governor, former NLC president, and he had a reputation for getting what he wanted. But when the votes were counted and the horse-trading was done, Akpabio emerged. Oshiomhole lost.
Why? A few reasons. First, zoning worked in his favour. The APC had broadly agreed that the Senate presidency should go to the South-South, and both Akpabio and Oshiomhole fit the position,but Oshiomhole was a first timer. Second, Akpabio had the backing of key party leaders and the presidency. Third, and this is important, Oshiomhole had made enemies during his time as APC chairman. His confrontational style did not win him many friends in the Senate, where relationships matter a great deal.
So Oshiomhole watched from the backbench as Akpabio took the gavel. He has not forgotten that.
Now, with the new amendments, Oshiomhole is being boxed out again.But Oshiomhole is not the kind of person who takes that quietly. He will keep pushing. The question is whether he has the numbers.
But There Is a New Player Now
Just when you think this is a two-man race, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State enters the picture. Spear News gathered that Uzodinma has purchased a nomination form for the Senate in 2027. Why would a sitting governor want to be a senator? Because he has his eyes on the Senate presidency.
There is a strong push within the APC to zone that position to the South East in 2027. The argument is simple: the South East agitation for the presidency. The Tinubu administration, Spear News Nigeria gathered that, is making frantic effort to pacify the region and pick a vice president from that section of the country in 2031.
With the North producing President Bola Tinubu (by virtue of the region’s support), and the South-South holding the position currently, many party leaders feel the South East deserves a turn at a major leadership role.
If that zoning happens, Akpabio and Oshiomhole would both be out, because neither is from the South East. That would leave the door open for someone like Uzodinma, or Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. Uzodinma has an advantage: he was a senator before now and he is a sitting governor with significant resources, and he has been very loyal to Tinubu. In politics, loyalty matters. When other governors were wavering during the 2023 primaries, Uzodinma stood with Tinubu. That kind of thing is not easily forgotten.
Why Benjamin Kalu Is Heading to Abia
Another piece of this puzzle is Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu. Spear News gathered that he has decided to run for governor of Abia in 2027 instead of seeking re-election as deputy speaker. The reason, according to sources, is simple: if the Senate presidency is zoned to the South East, his position as deputy speaker becomes less secure. The South East cannot realistically hold both the Senate presidency and the deputy speakership. The other zones would push back.
So Kalu is making a practical decision. Instead of waiting to be pushed out, he is moving toward the Government House in Umuahia. It is a calculated risk. If he wins, he becomes governor. If he loses, he still has his political base in Bende. Either way, he does not end up empty-handed. That is just smart politics.
One Thing to Watch
The amendments that Akpabio pushed through may backfire in an unexpected way. By requiring two terms of experience, he has opened the door for Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who will have served two terms by 2027. Orji Kalu is also from the South East, also ambitious, and also has deep pockets. If the South East zoning happens, why would Uzodinma be the automatic choice? Orji Kalu has been in the Senate longer, and he has relationships across the chamber.
So Akpabio may have solved one problem (blocking Oshiomhole) while creating another (elevating Orji Kalu). That is the thing about political rules — they can be used against you just as easily as you use them against others.
Discussion about this post