“I Won’t be Silenced” – Dickson Fires Akpabio Over Disruption During Insecurity Debate

Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa West, has accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of attempting to shut him down during discussions on important matters at the plenary, stating that no Senator is under an obligation to say things the way and how the Senate President wants them.

“The Senate and the National Assembly are for elected members to have robust discussions and agree and disagree. The presiding officer is the first among equals, who moderates as a colleague and not a boss. I remind the Senate President and assure the people that I won’t give up or give in to harassment.”

The Senate erupted into tension on Wednesday after Senate President Akpabio attempted to stop Senator Dickson from completing his remarks during a debate on Nigeria’s worsening security situation. The confrontation came as lawmakers considered a motion that sought to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s handling of national security, a move Dickson sharply rejected as “ill-timed, insensitive, and provocative.”

Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, said he had earlier privately raised concerns with the Senate President about the escalating insecurity, and welcomed the opportunity to address the issue publicly. But as he began criticising the tone of the motion and what he described as the politicisation of a national emergency by members of the majority party, Akpabio cut him off, preventing him from concluding his submission.

According to Dickson, Nigeria is facing security challenges so grave that “even nations at war do not experience” the scale of killings, abductions, and coordinated attacks occurring across multiple states. He cited the recent killing of soldiers, including a Brigadier General, and the mass abduction of students as evidence of a nation “under attack.”

He argued that commending the President under such circumstances is not only inappropriate but an affront to victims, frontline troops, and communities terrorised by bandits and insurgents.

“Some Senators supporting this commendation cannot even visit their communities,” he said, adding that several senatorial districts are effectively under the control of terrorists who impose taxes and operate parallel administrations.

Dickson insisted that the Senate’s role is not to offer praise but to provide oversight, ensure accountability, and tell the President the truth about conditions on the ground. He warned that the executive office often exists in an “executive bubble” that restricts the flow of accurate information, making honest advice essential.

He also demanded investigations into the use of trillions of naira allocated to the military over the years, alleging a “bottomless, underground war economy” benefiting from the perpetuation of conflict. “Why should we be losing to a ragtag band of terrorists?” he asked, noting that Nigerian forces excel in foreign missions.

The Senator backed the Senate’s decision to probe the withdrawal of military personnel in Kebbi, an action the state governor said preceded deadly attacks and called for a full inquiry into the abduction and killing of Brigadier General Uba by ISWAP, including the military’s handling of both the incident and the officer’s family.

He reaffirmed his commitment to transparency, accountability, and multiparty democracy, vowing not to be deterred by “harassment” on the Senate floor.