'This is not democracy' — Senator Dickson accuses Akpabio of silencing him during Tinubu’s speech

Bayelsa West Senator, Seriake Dickson, has alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio violated his constitutional right during President Bola Tinubu’s 2025 Democracy Day address to the National Assembly.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the joint session held on Thursday, June 12, Senator Dickson expressed disappointment over how the day unfolded.

He claimed that Akpabio deliberately denied him the opportunity to raise a constitutional point, describing the act as undemocratic and reminiscent of the military era of governance.

“That’s not how democracy works. That’s how military regimes operate. I was completely disregarded by the Senate President when I sought to raise a constitutional issue. It was rushed. It was wrong,” Dickson stated pointedly.

The Senator’s remarks come amid growing criticisms of President Tinubu’s Democracy Day speech, which many say failed to address Nigeria’s mounting security challenges and economic woes.

Civil society stakeholders and everyday citizens alike took to social media to express frustration, accusing the president of focusing more on political jabs than tangible solutions.

Pulse Nigeria reports that a cross-section of Nigerians said their expectations were dashed as Tinubu’s speech made no meaningful mention of the killings, inflation, or hardship many citizens are currently facing.

“There was more mockery of the opposition than empathy for Nigerians,” one commentator noted.

Senator Dickson’s protest adds a new layer of controversy to the Democracy Day commemorations, highlighting what some observers see as a growing intolerance for dissent within the political leadership.

His insistence on being silenced in a democratic chamber has further raised concerns about the state of legislative independence in the country.

As criticisms mount, neither Akpabio nor the presidency has officially responded to the allegations.