Godiya Akwashiki: A lawmaker of exceptional calibre

The late senator representing Nasarawa North, Godiya Akwashiki, has been described as a lawmaker of exceptional calibre who consistently demonstrated commitment to the Nigerian project through his robust contributions in and outside the Senate. He died on December 31, 2025 at the age of 52. Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau made the statement while mourning […]

The late senator representing Nasarawa North, Godiya Akwashiki, has been described as a lawmaker of exceptional calibre who consistently demonstrated commitment to the Nigerian project through his robust contributions in and outside the Senate. He died on December 31, 2025 at the age of 52.

Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau made the statement while mourning the deceased lawmaker, who died in India after a protracted illness.

Barau, through his special adviser on media, Malam Ismail Mudashir, also stated that “Senator Akwashiki was a parliamentarian per excellence who worked tirelessly to enhance the standard of living of the people of Nasarawa North and beyond.”

He added that the late senator’s death created a huge vacuum, particularly in Nasarawa State’s political and developmental landscape.

The Nasarawa State Government and members of the Senate paid glowing tributes to the departed politician, who served as majority leader and Deputy Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly before becoming a senator in 2019 under the All Progressives Congress (APC). He was re-elected in 2023 on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Born on August 3, 1973 in Angba Iggah, Nasarawa Eggon in Nasarawa State, Akwashiki attended elementary school for his First School Leaving Certificate in 1987. In 1988 he enrolled into the Government Technical College, Assakio and graduated with the Senior Secondary Certificate in Education in 1993.

He enrolled into the Nasarawa State University, Keffi and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 2010. He was married with children.

From 2011 to 2019, Akwashiki was on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during his time as a member of the state assembly. During his first term (2011-2015), he was the Majority Leader in the State Assembly. In his second term (2015-2019), he was appointed the Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly, a position he held until 2019 when, under the All Progressives Congress (APC), he contested and won the Nasarawa North senatorial seat.

Akwashiki was the chairman of the Senate Committee on Inter-parliamentary Affairs and vice chairman of the Media and Public Affairs Committee.

He was named the chairman, Senate Committee on Air Force of the 10th Senate on August 8, 2023.