By Emmanuel Ado
“History does not forgive, nor does it flatter. It records. And in its silence lies the truest verdict of all.” — Unknown
History does not feel; it only remembers. It does not forgive it condemns or praises, and holds up the truth of what was done. For those like Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President who, despite his obvious flaws, leads the Senate, this is the quiet shadow that follows his every decision. He ought to know that “intent” fades, but consequence remains. History strips away passion, pride, and excuse, leaving only the action. Thus, a wise leader reflects deeply before acting, knowing that time will not record feelings, but only deeds.
Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President of Nigeria’s 10th National Assembly – your every word, every decision, and every public quarrel has been recorded by history without hesitation. You can’t control history, and it will be unkind to you for your contribution to the poor state of the country.
Akpabio’s rise to power is, in many ways, accidental. Born in December 1962 at Ukana, Ikot Ntuen in Akwa Ibom State, he studied law at the University of Calabar and was called to the Bar in 1988. He is not known for any landmark legal victories. Politics, not jurisprudence, has driven virtually everything he has achieved. His entry into the corridors of power came when Obong Victor Attah, then Governor of Akwa Ibom State, appointed him Commissioner, a decisive moment that set him on a trajectory towards national prominence. From those beginnings, he became Governor (2007–2015), Senator, Minister, and now Senate President.
While he has absolutely done well for himself, the same can’t be said about many Nigerians who are homeless and unsure of where their next meal will come from.
There’s nothing wrong with being ambitious. But ambition without reflection and accountability curdles into arrogance and, ultimately, into hubris. Why has Akpabio forgotten so soon that his ascent was propelled not by him being a genius or more industrious than others, but by patronage and fortunate political timing? Perhaps, as Chinua Achebe warned, those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad.
As Governor, Akpabio’s supporters often point to the roads he built and the hospitals he commissioned,which sadly remain underutilized or barely functional. Yet infrastructure alone does not define a legacy. What of transparency? Of priorities? Of enduring impact? A stadium cannot replace a classroom, nor compensate for the absence of industrial growth. They never speak of industries established or jobs created because that was never his priority. Development without sustainability flatters the builder but betrays the future. It’s an applause that never endures.
Akpabio’s decamping to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was opportunistic, and not principled. If it becomes convenient, he might join the Labour Party tomorrow. Politics driven by self-interest has charted his career. As Senate President -the apex of legislative power he has failed to meet the expectations of an office once held with distinction by Senator Chuba Okadigbo. Akpabio lacks grace and eloquence, which has diminished the Senate. Does Akpabio understand that the Senate is more than a chamber of debate, that it is the nation’s conscience? But lacking in conscience, how do we expect him to understand the simple fact that he is to hold the Executive accountable? Thankfully, his decisions are being recorded in the ledger of history. And history is impartial, unblinking, and eternal. While politicians may act out of momentary passion or self-interest, history and results not their emotions will determine their true legacy.
Whenever Akpabio speaks, he is bound to make gaffes, giving the impression of a man who talks first and thinks later. His ill-timed jabs at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the debate on the amendment of the Electoral Law revealed a troubling lack of restraint and forgetfulness. Considering that his path to the Senate has always been controversial, he ought to have kept quiet because people like him made the PDP what it became.
In the 2019 elections, Professor Peter Ogban, the Returning Officer, rigged the election in Akpabio’s favor by generating over 5,000 fake votes. Ogban was later jailed and is serving a three-year term for this. In 2023, Akpabio initially contested the APC presidential ticket, while Udom Ekpoudom won the Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial seat. INEC recognized Ekpoudom, prompting court battles that culminated in a Supreme Court of Technicalities awarding the ticket to Akpabio. How can such a man, whose elections have been marred by controversies, label the PDP as being responsible for electoral frauds?
Despite these controversies, Akpabio became Senate President, but his victory will always be tainted. This is why restraint is crucial and the less he adds to the public record, the less he risks further staining a legacy that is ignoble.
His public spat with Senator Natasha Akpoti, amplified across social media, turned what should have been a chamber of deliberation into a stage for spectacle, following an allegation of sexual harassment by a married colleague. In many other countries, such a scandal would have compelled him to quietly retire to his village.But this is Nigeria.
Leadership is measured not only by policy but by tone, decorum, and the ability to elevate institutional dignity above petty rivalry. For history, moments like the Akpoti spat will definitely not be forgotten; they have become part of the ledger of consequence.
Contrasting Akpabio’s tenure with Bukola Saraki’s is stark. Saraki’s Senate commanded more respect; debates were heated, and the leadership maintained dignity, which ensured that the chamber’s credibility endured. Under Akpabio, personal feuds and public spectacles continue to overshadow deliberation, eroding both the institution’s stature and his authority. The hood does not make a monk, nor his convoy of more than 50 SUV vehicles.
The Senate seat that Akpabio occupies remains an open wound a reminder that laws often serve opportunism rather than justice. How exactly the Supreme Court of Technicalities came to the conclusion remains unclear. Students of history will dissect that Supreme Court decision for years. Thankfully, for their shenanigans, the United States reportedly denied them visas.
His opportunistic trajectory is already public knowledge and will not be easily forgotten.
Reflection is indispensable and a leader who acts without it is a dead man. History will ask not whether Akpabio felt justified or whether his ambition was noble, but how he got the ticket. It will ask: What did Akpabio protect? What legacy has he left behind? When power is misused, its effect is thunderous. History will note his actions without compassion.
This is not a premature condemnation. It is a call to responsibility. Nigeria’s present, fraught with economic problems and institutional fragility, demands serious stewardship. The Senate must be more than a stage for grandstanding; it must be a guardian of process, a check on excess, and a platform for public service. Failure leaves a record of squandered potential.
Akpabio has achieved high office, wealth, influence, and recognition, but most certainly not respect. Stripped of his title, he would face scorn. Wealth might buy supporters, but true success is measured in respect.
When Akpabio speaks, Nigerians listen. They will remember not only what is said but what is left unsaid – his response to insecurity, inequality, infrastructure decay, and the plight of unemployed youths. Thirty years from now, historians will mark his actions or inactions.
His conflicts with colleagues, such as Natasha Akpoti, show him as trivial, lacking the temperament of a leader. The Senate under Akpabio is a Fuji House of Commotion – a spectacle.Unfortunately there are some good men that found themselves in the Senate under this tragic leader.
Let Akpabio hear the verdict of history. It is quiet, relentless, impartial. Act with reflection. Serve with purpose. Time does not wait, and what endures is public good.
Akpabio’s ledger will focus on outcomes – the tragedy of his tenure. For Godswill Akpabio, as for all who wield power, the mirror is already held. It reflects clearly, patiently, waiting for posterity to decide. Its verdict is inevitable.
Postscript: I still have unfinished business with Akpabio — his “uncommon and grand pledge” to buy and distribute 1,000 copies of my book on Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, to Nigerian universities. As with so much else in his career, the promise remains on paper, underscoring his pattern of unfulfilled promises.
