- Safiu Kehinde
Bayelsa lawmaker, Sen. Seriake Dickson, was on Wednesday shunned by the Senate as his mic got turned off over his criticism of the red chamber’s commendation of President Bola Tinubu amid growing insecurity across the country.
Dickson had at yesterday’s plenary session stirred mixed reactions from his colleague’s after raising objection against the motion to commend Tinubu over his decision to terminate his planned trips on account of last week’s multiple attacks and abductions in Kwara, Niger, and Kebbi states.
Addressing the chamber, the former Bayelsa Governor had called for serious handling of the insecurity issue in the country.
“Please this is one of the most trying period that our country is facing. Even in battle time, in war times, it is not easy to lose a Brigadier General.
“Even in battle time, it is not easy to see this mass of communities being displaced, harassed, taken hostages, and people killed in several parts of our country.
“Our democracy right before our eyes is being rubbished. Our country right before our eyes is losing prestige and respect and is endangered by the day. So, this is a very serious motion.
“And I want to briefly object to the way and manner some of the comments from the other side have being on this very serious issue.” He said.
Dickson’s last words would cause stir within the upper chamber as some lawmakers, as captured in a video shared on X, vehemently protested his alleged division of the Senate.
The Bayelsa lawmaker subsequently had his mic turned off as he continued with his submission.
“The conversation should reflect seriousness of the matter.” He was heard saying amid the chatters from other lawmakers.
Eventually the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, called the lawmakers to order while reacting to Dickson’s objection of Tinubu’s commendation by the lawmakers.
Akpabio held that the insecurity in the country affects everyone and as such should be considered as one-sided.
“If you want to conclude your speech, be guided from the chair. The reality is that this affects all of us. So, there is nothing like this side or that side.
“The person watching you outside will think that the Senate is in two divisions. On the issue of insecurity that we are discussing, we are one side.
“The entire Senate is one. So. there is nobody here that will come and say this side is benefitting.” He said.
The Senate President thereafter defended the call for commendation of the President which he claimed will serve as a means of encourage to him.
He called for solutions to the case issue at hand, stressing that the country will not bow to the despair and fear of insecurity.
“And if you say we should not commend the President, it simply means you should tell the President to sleep.
“When a man has cancelled his international trips and stayed back to face the issue, what you are seeing is an attack on Nigeria by our enemies.
“Even as I’m speaking with you now, I understand that yesterday, in the same community or so, they went there and abducted a pregnant woman with eleven others. You don’t know when it will come to your village.
“So, there is nothing like this side and that side. We are all Nigerians and we are all concerned with what is going on.
“I will prefer that we concentrate on solutions and what we are saying is that we must rise to the occasion. This country cannot bow to despair neither can we bow to fear.
“People are perpetrating this. They are human beings.” Akpabio added.
Meanwhile, Dickson would after the plenary accused the Senate President of silencing him.
The Bayelsa lawmaker took to his X handle where he recounted his argument during the plenary as well as his objection of the motion to commend Tinubu which according to him was supported by the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers.