Senator Oshiomhole appears to be sitting in the senate with idealogical liliputians who have comfortably forgotten what the first duty of the state to its citizens really is. That duty is the security and welfare of the people of Nigeria from whom government through the constitution derives its powers. His overall commitment to accountability, probity and good governance has been outstanding since he got elected as a senator.

His attention for details with respect to government policy frameworks and why they often fail is commendable and highly recommended to other conformist senators whose only purpose in the senate is to protect bread and butter. I am particularly happy as one of his lawyers that Oshiomhole’s legislative know how is well above short term measures of peripheral empowerment vide the distribution of food items and cash to people who suffer from long term policy failure and crass corruption within government circles.

Man does not leave by bread alone. Why are senators unwilling to carry out a financial audit on military expenditure seeing how precarious the insecurity in the country has become? Who is afraid of the audit of military expenditure? Is it the related senate committees or the senate leadership as a whole? Who knows if the huge figures often voted by the National Assembly as military budgets really  get to the military establishments. By their nature, the military will not complain publicly and may work within what they get.

Fellow senators appeared uninterested in Senator Oshiomhole’s effort to look deep at military finances and related operational issues. Even if it was not considered appropriate to discuss that in plenary, a resolution to discuss same at closed door sessions should have been reached. Rather than take a patriotic position on the issue, a mindless voice was echoing the the number of minutes that the distinguished senator had left to make his contribution.

What would be more important than our collective security and welfare as a nation at a time like this? The public must learn to audit the caliber of men and women who present themselves for election to the senate and reject opportunists undeserving of senate seats. Every senatorial district has only one senate seat. Let us not waste it.

May God help Nigeria.

Written by Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa, SAN.