Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa West, strongly urged the Nigerian Senate to convey the "truth" about the nation's deteriorating security situation to President Bola Tinubu, rather than offering commendations.
Following an "elaborate discussion" on security in the Senate, Dickson criticised a proposed motion to commend the President, labelling it "ill-timed, insensitive and even provocative."
In a press statement issued today, Senator Dickson expressed his dismay over the recent worsening of insecurity across the country, highlighting rampant killings, abductions, and the tragic loss of military personnel, including a Brigadier General.
He asserted that such a dire situation, where bandits attack multiple states simultaneously and terrorists abduct students, is reminiscent of "nations at war."
"It is very clear that not only our democracy is under threat, but the nation itself is being reduced, belittled, and threatened," Dickson stated.
The former Bayelsa State Governor expressed strong disagreement with the "approach and tone" of the motion and some comments from the majority party, which he deemed "unnecessarily political". He mismatched the gravity of the issue.
He specifically rejected the call for the President and government to be commended, a sentiment he noted was supported by many members of the majority party.
"I believe that the President needs to be told the truth, and that those with access to him, particularly from the majority party and others, should tell the President the true situation of things," Dickson emphasised.
"The seriousness of the matter is such that there should be no sugarcoating, or attempts to be politically correct, as that is, in my opinion, unnecessary hypocrisy and disservice to the country and even to the president."
Senator Dickson reminded his colleagues of their constitutional mandate to "oversight the President and the military," including ministers and security leaders.
He argued that a commendation motion at this time would be "ill-timed, insensitive and even provocative," questioning how victims, fighting soldiers, and families of the deceased would perceive such a move.
He highlighted the incongruity of supporting commendations while some National Assembly members "cannot visit their communities or their Senatorial Districts because of insecurity and killings," and where terrorists allegedly run parallel governments.
"How will the victims, the soldiers fighting, the victims of kidnap and families of those killed feel? There are members of the National Assembly who spoke in support of this commendation but who cannot visit their communities or their Senatorial Districts because of insecurity and killings," Dickson lamented.
The Senator advocated for thorough investigations into the "allocations and disbursements to the military and security agencies" to ensure accountability for "trillions that have been budgeted."
He stressed the need for "effective oversight, appropriation support and policy advice" to support frontline security personnel.
Dickson also explicitly supported Senate resolutions to inquire into the withdrawal of military personnel in Kebbi, as alleged by the Governor, and the circumstances surrounding the capture and killing of Brigadier General Uba by ISWAP.
As a member of the Committees on Defence and National Security, he pledged to pursue these issues rigorously.
In a personal note, Senator Dickson revealed that the presiding officer had not allowed him to conclude his comments during the debate, an issue he characterised as one of "many instances the Senate President has tried to prevent me from making my contributions."
He asserted his right as an elected member to "robust discussions and agree and disagree," vowing not to be deterred by "harassment."
Emphasising the need for "frankness, strong political will and decisive leadership," Senator Dickson stressed that "the nation is at war as we are losing our security personnel, our citizens, and our territories. Our reputation is being ridiculed and our democracy and nation are endangered."
He further extended condolences to the families of all fallen soldiers, security personnel, and victims of insecurity, specifically mentioning Brigadier General Uba.
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