It is often said, “There is no morality in politics”. In other words, in politics, anything goes. Unfortunately, many people who have found themselves in positions of authority have adopted this line of thought, thereby desecrating the sacredness of leadership, which is ordained by God. But to the President of the tenth Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON, “Leadership cannot just go along to get along. Leadership must meet the moral challenge of the day.” These are the words of the revered gospeller, refined politician and leader, Jesse Jackson.
At the celebration of Democracy Day on June 12, 2025, the 8th Assembly President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, made a rare commendation of the leadership of the 10th Senate led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Saraki, in a paper titled “The National Assembly and Nigeria’s Democracy in the Last 26 Years”, thanked Akpabio for restoring his portrait in the Senate Gallery after four years of its absence.
We are all aware of the no love lost that existed between Saraki and his successor, Senator Ahmad Lawan, whom he outsmarted in 2015 to emerge as the Senate President against the wishes of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the time. Consequently, the Saraki-led National Assembly maintained a cat and dog relationship throughout its tenure with the Executive led by then President Muhammadu Buhari.
Hence, when Senator Lawan eventually became the Senate President during the 9th Assembly, the no love lost between him and Senator Lawan was reignited. Senator Saraki had then been swept off the National Assembly courtesy of the “Otoge Revolution” in the Kwara politics, which was hitherto controlled by the Saraki dynasty. At this time, the APC had put its house in order and had a smooth sail on electing its principal officers, while the likes of Saraki, who had defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), lost their return bid to the Senate.
One of the actions taken by Lawan’s leadership was to take down Saraki’s official portrait from where other Senate Presidents’ portraits are mounted at the Gallery of the Senate at the National Assembly, possibly to avenge the ‘injustice’ Saraki and his group meted out to him. Throughout the four years of Lawan’s Senate Presidency, Saraki’s portrait was missing in the gallery.
But one man known for institutional integrity and playing “politics without bitterness” changed the narrative, which got Senator Saraki celebrating and, for once, acknowledging the eclectic and transformational leadership of the uncommon Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio. Apart from commending his ‘good friend’ Senator Akpabio for having his portrait remounted among his colleagues, he appreciated the 10th National Assembly, led by Akpabio, for its courage in inviting him to present a paper at the joint session of the National Assembly.
According to Saraki, “If it were in another time, they would have been looking at the body language of the President, and my invite would have gotten missing. Just like my portrait.”
The former Senate President noted that, “Just as my portrait was missing for four years in the Senate Gallery created for all former presiding officers, it was brought in just recently. I thank my good friend, Senator Godswill Akpabio, for that.”
But certainly, that is not the character of Senator Akpabio’s leadership. He is an inspirational, inclusive, rational, humane, and compassionate leader. And like a former US President, John Quincy Adams, once said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, so more and become more, you are a leader”. Senator Godswill Akpabio is truly a leader because he exudes all these qualities.
Restoring Senator Saraki’s portrait and even going ahead to invite him as part of those to make presentations at the Democracy Day celebration is indicative of the fact that Senate President Akpabio is receptive to criticism and tolerant of opposition, no matter how vitriolic it may be. He does not believe in taking a pound of flesh when the opportunity presents itself, nor does he use his exalted position to pay opponents in their own coin.
In the wake of the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Senate, Senator Saraki, despite being a former Senate President, never spared Senate President Akpabio any benefit of the doubt but joined in the fray, convicting and condemning Akpabio without trial. But Akpabio, a man imbued with institutional integrity and respect for individual right of opinion, never allowed this to becloud his sense of judgement in relating with those who stood the law on its head in casting aspersions on him.
Senate President Akpabio is like Mahatma Gandhi, who said, “I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles, but today it means getting along with people”. He is the most gregarious leader we have around today. He knows how to enliven any environment or opportunity he finds himself in. He relates excellently with whoever comes his way. A detribalised and non-sectional leader, Akpabio’s doors are open to human beings of all shades; he does not discriminate, just like he shares with all and sundry.
Today, he has redefined leadership in the parliament, engaging the executive objectively and purposefully without bickering or fighting; representing the people through implementable laws that are development-promoting and smacked of human kindness and compassion. This is the spirit of a leader whose primary concern is to bring smiles to the faces of the common man and not pains or sadness.
*Ken Harries is a US-based development communication strategist.
