ARISE News analyst Dayo Sobowale has criticised the Senate for rejecting calls to probe military spending while simultaneously expressing concern over worsening insecurity across the country.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News following the Senate’s debate on recent kidnappings and attacks, Sobowale argued that lawmakers cannot effectively address insecurity without holding security institutions accountable for how public funds are spent.
“Senate cannot demand security without accountability,” he said.
According to Sobowale, the legislature has a constitutional responsibility to oversee government agencies and ensure that public resources are properly utilised.
“They should be even more concerned than any other person,” he stated.
Sobowale stated that expressing concern alone is insufficient when lawmakers have the authority to demand explanations from security agencies and government officials.
“That is talking at the moon,” he said.
He maintained that the Senate should have supported efforts to scrutinise military expenditure rather than rejecting calls for greater accountability.
“They should ask for accountability of military expenditure,” he stated.
According to Sobowale, legislative oversight is a fundamental requirement of democratic governance.
“Legislative responsibility says they should call to order all aspects of government expenditure,” he said.
He referenced the United States Congress as an example of a legislature that regularly questions executive officials on security and foreign policy matters.
“That is accountability and democratic responsibility,” he stated.
Sobowale further emphasized that excessive deference to the executive arm weakens democratic institutions and undermines effective governance.
“It is abandonment of responsibility on the part of the legislature,” he said.
According to him, insecurity should not be viewed as the responsibility of the presidency alone.
“It is wrong to act as if the responsibility stops with the presidency,” he stated.
Sobowale also warned that insecurity has spread across multiple regions because political leaders failed to respond decisively when attacks were initially concentrated in specific areas.
“Everybody is now feeling the insecurity of everybody,” he said.
He maintained that stronger oversight, accountability, and coordinated action are necessary if Nigeria hopes to reverse the growing security crisis.
“They can call the military chiefs to task,” he stated.
Sobowale concluded that lawmakers must move beyond expressions of concern and fully exercise their oversight responsibilities, arguing that greater accountability for security spending is essential to improving Nigeria’s response to insecurity.
Ojo Triumph
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