|
Listen to article
|
By Prof. MarkAnthony Nze
In the storm of Nigeria’s economic crisis, one name is on every angry tongue: Bola Ahmed Tinubu. And understandably so. As President, he bears the symbolic weight of national leadership, and his policy decisions, especially the fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange deregulation—have sent seismic waves through the economy. But while the frustration is valid, the focus is increasingly misplaced. Nigeria’s tragedy isn’t a one-man show. It is a carefully choreographed dysfunction of many players, and one class of people has quietly escaped the rage of the masses: the National Assembly, your Senators and Representatives.
The question Nigerians must now ask is this: If Tinubu is the problem, what exactly are your senators doing to be the solution?
Nigeria’s Constitution doesn’t make the president a monarch. He cannot pass laws. He cannot disburse money without appropriation. He cannot operate above legislative oversight—unless, of course, the lawmakers themselves abdicate their responsibility and reduce the hallowed chambers of democracy to an elite lounge for rubber-stamping.
The Senate, in particular, is meant to serve as a check on executive power. But in today’s Nigeria, the Senate has become a chamber of muted ambition and selective outrage, quick to approve loans, indifferent to inflation, and silent on the plights of their constituents. With 109 senators, most drawing salaries and allowances that eclipse the earnings of entire ministries, what tangible legislative impact have they made on inflation, minimum wage, food insecurity, or corruption? Where is the legislation to cap public office costs? Where is the emergency motion on the collapse of public education or the near-total breakdown of electricity?
When was the last time your senator held a public town hall to explain their voting record? Have they shown up in your state to push for local solutions to national problems? Do they sponsor bills? Do they interrogate government spending or the performance of federal appointees from your region? Or are they just posting birthday greetings and red carpet photos while hiding behind the fury aimed at the presidency?
Let’s be brutally honest: many senators are ghost workers in agbada—seen during swearing-ins and budget season, only to disappear when hardship knocks on the doors of the very people they swore to represent. Meanwhile, some of them travel abroad monthly, send their children to schools in the UK, and build sprawling estates while your neighborhood health clinic hasn’t had a doctor in years.
Read also: Tinubu Declares State Of Emergency In Rivers, Suspends Fubara
Nigerians must awaken to the truth: the dysfunction is systemic, not just presidential. Tinubu may be the face of this administration, but your senator is your direct democratic link. They have the constitutional power to checkmate excesses, propose people-driven policies, and protect the vulnerable. They are not ceremonial figures—they are lawmakers, budget approvers, and constituency watchdogs.
If the minimum wage is still ₦30,000 while senators take home upwards of ₦30 million per quarter, your anger should be a two-edged sword. If fuel is unaffordable and food prices are skyrocketing, your senator should be the first to feel the pressure—not just the man at the top. If student loans are a mess and ASUU is on strike, your senator should be flooded with letters and calls, not just hashtags about Tinubu.
So, while it is perfectly reasonable to criticize Tinubu’s policies, it is intellectually lazy—and politically dangerous—to let other powerful players hide in the shadows. Democracy thrives when citizens demand performance across all arms of government, not just the executive. Blaming one man for decades of dysfunction is not activism—it’s distraction.
Your senator lives in your state. Their offices are funded by your taxes. They owe you explanations. Hold town halls. Ask for receipts. Demand transparency. If they can’t do the job, begin the process to recall them. Nigeria will not change by removing a president and leaving a complicit legislature intact.
Stop shouting at Aso Rock while your senator is sipping tea in silence.
Stop blaming Tinubu alone.
Hold your senators accountable—now.
