Insecurity: Dickson Faults Senate For Commending Tinubu, Asks Lawmakers To Tell President The Truth
- Accuses Akpabio Of Harassment
The lawmaker representing Bayelsa West, Senator Seriake Dickson, has rejected a motion seeking to commend President Bola Tinubu and the security agencies for recent rescue operations, insisting that the nation is under attack and Nigerians are “traumatised”.
Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, in a statement on Wednesday, titled ‘Let’s tell President Tinubu the truth’, accused the Senate leadership of playing politics with a national emergency and attempting to stop him from speaking frankly on the worsening security crisis.
The Senate had on Tuesday, adopted a motion sponsored by Senator Asiru Yisa (Kwara South), praising Tinubu’s “exemplary leadership” after dozens of abducted worshippers and schoolchildren were rescued in Kwara and Niger states.
The motion also called for the creation of a Joint Task Force for the Kwara–Kogi corridor and investigations into the withdrawal of soldiers in Kebbi.
But Dickson in the statement, said the tone of the motion was insensitive and disconnected from the realities across the country.
He recalled that when he was recognised to speak during plenary, he warned that the security situation had deteriorated to the point where “terrorists are abducting students, with bandits attacking several states at the same time—situations that even nations at war do not experience.”
He said, “It is very clear that not only our democracy is under threat, but the nation itself is being reduced, belittled, and threatened.”
He said he disagreed with senators who attempted to politicise the debate, arguing that the chamber should have confronted the gravity of the crisis rather than issuing praise in the middle of a national emergency.
Dickson stated, “I do not agree with the request in the motion… that the President and the government should be commended. I disagree with it.”
He insisted that the President must receive honest feedback, not “sugarcoating” from those with access to him, describing the push for commendation as “ill-timed, insensitive and even provocative”.
The lawmaker added that many senators could not visit their constituencies because terrorists had taken over communities, “running parallel governments and imposing all manner of taxes,” questioning how victims of attacks would feel seeing the government being praised.
He said the Senate’s duty was to “express strong solidarity and support to those who are fighting on the frontlines while working with the Executive”, through oversight, appropriation and policy scrutiny — not premature commendation.
Dickson also accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of cutting him short after he referenced “the other side of the aisle,” a normal parliamentary expression referring to the majority party.
He said the presiding officer “deliberately misinterpreted” his comments.
He stressed, “The Senate President is the first among equals who moderates as a colleague and not a boss… I won’t give up or give in to harassment.”
The former governor said the Senate should instead conduct a thorough investigation into recent security lapses, including the alleged withdrawal of soldiers from a Kebbi school hours before bandits abducted pupils, and the circumstances surrounding the capture and killing of Brigadier-General Uba by ISWAP.
He maintained that the trillions of naira allocated to the military over the years must now be subjected to firm oversight.
Dickson added that “Mr President must be told that the nation is at war… Our reputation is being ridiculed, and our democracy and nation are endangered.”
He backed the Senate’s wider security resolutions — including probes into internal collaborators, relief support for traumatised families, intelligence-driven operations and diplomatic counter-terrorism engagements — but insisted that commendation for the President at this time was misplaced.
On his refusal to be silenced, he concluded,
“The majority may have their way, but the minority must have their say… It is part of the sacrifice we all have to make to sustain democracy.”
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
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