By Fatima Saka
Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Thursday cautioned against the politicisation and misrepresentation of the Senate’s debate on a bill seeking to decriminalise attempted suicide, urging Nigerians to consider the legislature’s final decisions rather than distort lawmakers’ contributions for political purposes.
Akpabio said the debate was aimed at developing appropriate legislation that distinguishes between people who attempt suicide due to mental health challenges and those who deliberately take their own lives while being physically sound.
He spoke during plenary while responding to public reactions to the Senate’s deliberations on the proposed suicide prevention legislation.
The Senate President maintained that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, arguing that those who engage in suicide bombings and kill innocent people should not be regarded as representatives of Islam or Christianity.
According to him, both religions prohibit suicide, while Nigeria’s criminal and penal laws also contain provisions against the act.
Akpabio said the belief that suicide bombers would gain entry into paradise and be rewarded with virgins was inconsistent with Islamic teachings, insisting that people who deliberately misinterpret religious doctrines should not use them to justify violence.
He added that many of those responsible for destabilising Nigeria’s security were foreigners, although he did not provide figures to support the claim.
The Senate President said lawmakers had a responsibility to examine proposed legislation thoroughly, noting that disagreements during parliamentary debates were part of the legislative process.
“We want to make the best law. So we are bound to oppose each other, and we are also bound to support each other,” he said.
Akpabio urged television commentators and political analysts to exercise caution when discussing legislative proceedings, warning against interpretations designed to damage the reputations of lawmakers.
He said Nigerians should assess the Senate’s eventual decisions rather than rely on what he described as politically motivated discussions surrounding individual contributions during plenary.
Defending his record of religious tolerance, Akpabio said he had supported both Muslim and Christian communities during his tenure as governor, including sponsoring thousands of pilgrims to religious destinations.
He disclosed that he sponsored about 5,800 Muslims to the Holy Land and more than 10,000 Christians to Rome and Jerusalem.
The Senate President also cited his long-standing working relationship with Muslim aides and colleagues as evidence that he did not discriminate on religious grounds.
He said his former aide-de-camp, who served him for 19 years, was a Muslim from Azare in Bauchi State, adding that he regarded him as a brother rather than defining their relationship by religion.
Akpabio further said that more than 65 per cent of the people working with him were Muslims, stressing that religious differences had not prevented them from working together.
He urged Nigerians to focus on the substance of legislative debates and avoid using religious or political sentiments to misrepresent lawmakers’ intentions.
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The Senate is considering legislation intended to establish a framework for suicide prevention, decriminalise attempted suicide and provide rehabilitation for people who attempt to take their own lives.
The proposed reform has generated debate over the need to treat suicide attempts as a public health and mental health concern rather than subjecting affected individuals to criminal sanctions.
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