Senate President Godswill Akpabio has cautioned governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress against abandoning their responsibilities to their states in pursuit of other political positions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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Akpabio gave the warning on Wednesday at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, urging governors to concentrate on serving the people who elected them rather than becoming distracted by ambitions for other offices.
Addressing the governors at the gathering, the Senate President drew from his own experience as governor of Akwa Ibom State from 2007 to 2015.
“For my brothers who are governors, I want you to know that you must not abandon your people,” Akpabio said.
“I did eight years as a governor, and the Constitution says you should do eight years. There’s no need for you to start eyeing another position that is not available.”
Akpabio also urged political office holders to remain connected to the people, attributing his own political longevity to what he described as consistently standing with the electorate.
“I have been in this business for over 25 years, and I always win. And why I always win is because I stand with people,” he said.
He added: “Go and mend your clothes when they are not torn.”
His remarks come against the backdrop of amendments made to the Senate Standing Orders earlier in 2026, which tightened the eligibility requirements for lawmakers seeking the leadership of the upper chamber.
Under the revised rules, eligibility for the positions of Senate President and Deputy Senate President was restricted to senators who have served at least two consecutive terms immediately preceding their nomination. The amendment means that, for the incoming 11th Senate, senators seeking the presiding offices would have to satisfy the chamber’s newly introduced ranking requirement.
The amendment generated controversy when it was adopted, including objections from Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who challenged aspects of the proceedings surrounding the changes.
Akpabio did not name any governor while making his remarks on Wednesday or expressly state that his warning was directed at a particular individual.
However, the comments come amid political speculation over possible moves by some serving governors to seek Senate seats and subsequently vie for leadership positions in the National Assembly after the 2027 elections.
Reports suggesting that a particular governor may be considering such a move remain unconfirmed, and Akpabio did not link his remarks to any named governor.
The Senate President also used the occasion to reaffirm the support of the National Assembly leadership for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign, saying lawmakers would work with the administration in communicating its programmes and message to Nigerians.
His message to the governors, however, was that political ambition should not come at the expense of their current constitutional responsibilities to the people who elected them.
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