This is not the time for taking the side of any political party as the only side that matters is that of the Nigerian society.
As the federal government returns to active service after this coming Tuesday and Wednesday following the celebration of Eid-el-Kabir, law abiding Senators irrespective of party membership should in the next 24 or so hours receive assurance from the current senate leadership that the Senate will reconvene immediately after the holidays, but I doubt this will happen.
President Muhammadu Buhari should demand that the Senators cut short the annual recess to act urgently on national matters including the budget for the 2019 general elections. This is likely not to happen as he will be accused of partisanship.
As such here is what we should do right away. In the next 48 hours or at the end of Wednesday night, God fearing and good faith Senators of the Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and others in minority parties should return to Abuja.
With comfortable shoes on their legs, bottles of water, portable food and other essentials like medicines they should immediately stage an all-night floor speech calling on the Senate president Bukola Saraki to reconvene the National Assembly to consider the 2019 general election Budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The presence of the Nigerian police and other security agencies will only be to protect all legislators with no hints of any form of intimidation to anyone including staff. During the all-night sitting and into the early mornings each senator will take turn with no time limit to speak on matters of the budget, positive legislative functions and democracy.
Speakers can take a break from his or her speech in opposition to the anti-legislative acts of not reconvening for the peoples good and speak on other topics of interest which could include their life histories just to stay up both in spirit and body, and to help occupy time. A Senator can even choose to read a pleasant or children’s book. Again, if it takes, through the night, through the day, all senators present and taking turns must stay put until they get a vote on the budget and on other pertinent matters.
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John Egbeazien Oshodi is an expert in Forensic/National Psychology with a focus on Developing Societies and Emerging Democracies. [email protected]
