The 10th Senate inaugurated on June 13, 2023 came with their leaders often referred to as presiding officers. They are Godswill Akpabio, president of the Senate, and Barau Jibrin, deputy president of the Senate. The election that produced the duo was a hot contest involving former governor of Zamfara State, Senator Abdulazeez Yari; former Abia governor, Senator Orji Uzo Kalu; Senator Osita Izunaso; Senator Sani Musa, and Senator Ali Ndume, among others.
Immediately after their inauguration, members of the 10th Assembly hit the ground running, but not without controversies and misunderstanding from some Nigerians.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in his reaction, said people who obviously do not understand the legislative process that a presiding officer had to reiterate a prayer before putting it to vote were attacking them for their good service to Nigerians. "The personal tirades and character assaults hauled at the Senate President by Professor Pat Utomi, are misdirected and uncalled for. Insinuating that the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Godswill Akpabio, was mocking the Nigerian masses with the phrase 'Let the poor breathe', is dressing falsehood and mischief in an undesirable garment.
But the Nigerian Senate declined to approve military action in the Niger Republic, with many, especially in Northern Nigeria, saying it demonstrated commitment to the independence of the Legislature of the 10th assembly. Senate spokesman, Yemi Adaramodu, wondered what negative characters want to gain from their lies and falsehood against the National Assembly.
"We don't expect anything less from the NLC leadership, we only opined that they would place national interest above partisan nihilistic outbursts. If the Congress wishes to serve as the conscience of Nigerian workers, it must purge itself of catalytic political voyages that can truncate our democracy. We believe that Nigerians see this new unscrupulous advocacy as a comedy to entertain only the unsuspecting," Adaramodu said.