The heated controversy triggered by the recent amendment to the Senate Standing Rules has been dominated by personalities and emotions rather than substantive institutional issues, Rt Hon Eseme Eyiboh has said.

In a strongly worded statement, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Senate President argued that the core question before the Senate is not about Senator Godswill Akpabio or Senator Adams Oshiomhole, but whether Nigeria’s legislature should strengthen itself through rules that promote continuity, competence, and long-term stability.

Eyiboh noted that every serious institution worldwide periodically reviews and updates its rules in response to practical experience. “The refusal to review procedures in the face of experience is often a sign of stagnation, not democracy,” he said.

The amendment, which sets a minimum legislative experience threshold for senators aspiring to presiding and principal offices, should be examined through the lens of institutional development, he added.

The former House of Representatives member emphasised that the Senate Presidency is one of Nigeria’s most sensitive constitutional positions. It demands more than political popularity — it requires deep knowledge of parliamentary procedures, committee systems, constitutional interpretation, negotiation, and intergovernmental relations.

“Experience matters,” Eyiboh stressed.

He acknowledged that critics have valid concerns that experience requirements could entrench incumbents and create a closed oligarchy. However, he maintained that the proper response is not to reject minimum standards, but to set a reasonable bar — such as one full term or proven committee leadership — and commit to periodic review to prevent the rule from becoming a barrier to fresh talent.

“Experience without openness becomes arrogance; openness without experience becomes amateurism,” he said. The amendment, according to him, tilts towards correcting amateurism while safeguarding institutional stability.

Eyiboh dismissed suggestions that the rule change was merely intended to shrink competition or protect personal interests. He argued that institutions grow stronger by learning from experience and refining their processes, not by freezing rules indefinitely.

On calls for Senate President Godswill Akpabio to resign if the new qualification is enforced, Eyiboh described the argument as fundamentally flawed. He pointed out the well-established legal principle that laws and rules apply prospectively, not retroactively.

“Senator Akpabio emerged under the rules in existence at the time. Applying today’s standards to yesterday’s mandate is neither legally sustainable nor institutionally rational,” he said.

The statement urged Nigerians and senators to elevate the discussion above personal rivalries and chamber politics. While affirming Senator Oshiomhole’s right to hold dissenting views, Eyiboh insisted the debate must centre on whether the amendment strengthens the Senate as a durable institution.

“Institutions outlive individuals,” he concluded. “Senate Presidents will come and go. But the rules and traditions we establish today will shape legislative stability for decades to come.”

Rt Hon Eseme Eyiboh, mnipr, is a former Member and Spokesperson of the House of Representatives and currently serves as Special Adviser on Media/Publicity and Official Spokesperson to the President of the Senate.