By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo
Abuja — President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has described the late Senator Godiya Akwashiki as a forthright and principled politician whose “yes was yes and whose no was no,” saying Nigeria has lost a lawmaker of rare integrity and great potential.
Akpabio spoke on Saturday in Lafia, Nasarawa State, during a condolence visit to the residence of the late senator, who died on New Year’s Eve and was buried the same day.
Addressing the widow, Mrs. Akwashiki, the Senate President assured her that she would not be left alone, noting that her husband had built enduring relationships across the country.
“Today we are here to tell you that you are not alone. Just be consoled that you have people. He built bridges across the country, and those friends will be there to support you even when you may not see some of them,” Akpabio said.
He described Akwashiki’s death as one loss too many for the National Assembly, coming shortly after the deaths of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of Anambra State and Senator Okey Ezea of Enugu State.
“Today in Nasarawa, we are not just mourning a son of the state, but a man who had great potential in terms of what he would have contributed to the development of Nasarawa State and Nigeria,” he added.
Akpabio noted that although the late lawmaker was elected on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), he worked across party lines.
“Even as a senator of the SDP, he did not discriminate. He supported me and was always proud of what was happening in Nasarawa State. In the few months he was active in the Senate, he proved himself as an erudite, committed and patriotic Nigerian,” he said.
Born in Angba Iggah, Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Senator Akwashiki was first elected to the Senate in 2019 and re-elected in 2023 to represent Nasarawa North Senatorial District on the platform of the SDP in the 10th Senate.
He previously served as a member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, where he was Majority Leader and later Deputy Speaker.
At the National Assembly, Akwashiki served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, Vice Chairman of the Media and Public Affairs Committee, and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Air Force.
Also in attendance at the funeral mass were the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), and several other senators.
Speaking on behalf of the Senate minority caucus, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), described Akwashiki’s death as a painful blow.
“For us in the minority caucus, it is a very sad moment. We have been losing members to other political parties, but this time, we are losing a colleague to death. It is very tragic,” Moro said.
Earlier at the Nasarawa State Government House, Akpabio commended Governor Abdullahi Sule for taking charge of the burial arrangements.
Governor Sule, in his response, thanked the Senate President for the visit despite adverse weather conditions that delayed his flight, and for the show of solidarity.
Meanwhile, the 2023 presidential candidate of the SDP, Prince Adewole Adebayo, described Akwashiki as one of the last enduring symbols of principled politics in Nigeria.
In a tribute, Adebayo said the senator’s death represented more than the loss of a legislator, describing it as the departure of a political tradition anchored in conscience, service and respect for democratic institutions.
“Moments like this remind us that politics can still be about responsibility rather than privilege,” he said.
Tracing Akwashiki’s career, Adebayo recalled that the late senator was educated within Nigeria’s public institutions and began his professional life at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), an experience he said shaped his understanding of governance as a system designed to serve the common good.
From the Nasarawa State House of Assembly to the National Assembly, Adebayo noted that Akwashiki’s rise was defined by patience, consistency and attentive representation.
“He never treated legislation as an abstract exercise. For him, governance was about lives, livelihoods and national stability,” Adebayo said.
He added that beyond titles and committee assignments, Akwashiki’s true legacy lay in his values — dignity of labour, dialogue, accountability and the protection of the vulnerable.
Adebayo said Akwashiki’s unwavering commitment to the ideals of the Social Democratic Party stood out at a time when political defections are often driven by expediency.
“Senator Akwashiki’s life left a benchmark — representation grounded in conscience, leadership anchored in humanity, and politics guided by accountability,” he said.
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