Ishaku Elisha Abbo was once a member of the Nigerian Senate—what is referred to as the upper chamber of the National Assembly (NASS) in this country. However, much of what the former senator did while in the Senate was far from being ‘hallowed’ (respectable).
A fraction of his actions as a senator would not have been tolerated in the United States, the country from which Nigeria borrowed its system of government.
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, served in the Senate for more than 30 years, yet he never owned a personal mansion. One of his children died from a life-threatening illness because he couldn’t afford the operation needed to save his life. Another of his sons is currently facing criminal charges and may end up in jail for tax evasion.
A former U.S. president, Richard Nixon, resigned before he could be impeached by the Senate for an offense (wiretapping the National Convention Center of the opposition Democratic Party) committed during his re-election campaign—this, despite having immunity from prosecution.
A member of the famous Kennedy family, revered almost like royalty in the U.S., is currently being charged in court for dragging a whale carcass more than ten years ago. It took investigators that long to establish his involvement in the ‘crime.’
Meanwhile, a former U.S. governor was recently jailed for infractions that wouldn’t even raise an eyebrow in Nigeria.
Similarly, the wealthy rapper, Sean “Diddy” Combs, is facing life-changing court action for alleged sexual misconduct, compromising celebrities and young children for his personal pleasure. These ‘mundane’ matters would barely be considered serious enough by Nigerian authorities to merit any investigation.
In Nigeria, service is often to oneself, not to the electorate who supposedly ‘elected’ their representatives. The only time officials may risk doing the right thing is when their own child or relative is directly affected.
Most of our so-called lawmakers—whether in the State Assemblies or the National Assembly—are usually only active when it comes to satisfying the desires of the President or Governors in their respective domains. We can all recall the speed with which NASS approved a request from the President for a huge sum of money to purchase a brand-new official aircraft, yacht (unheard of in Nigeria), and official vehicles.
Yet, the President’s Chief of Staff, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Right Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, claimed the President used his personal money for these purchases—a claim believed only by himself since the President didn’t buy such luxuries when he was just the wealthy Senator Bola Tinubu.
Despite the enormous salaries, allowances, and misnamed ‘Constituency Allowance’ our lawmakers collect, many don’t perform their oversight duties without receiving substantial payments from the ministries or agencies they are supposed to oversee.
There are many ‘Senator Ishaku Elisha Abbos’ in our NASS, but their dirty deeds have not yet been exposed to the public. Sooner or later, however, many others will be exposed, whether on the popular Berekete Family program or through other means.
For those who missed his many transgressions, rather than focus on making laws to move the country forward, Senator Abbo was allegedly involved in illegal sexual acts with women and young girls, regardless of their marital status. He secretly filmed these activities and used the recordings to blackmail over 300 victims.
One of his former female staff, a married woman, revealed on Berekete Family that she was blackmailed into sleeping with him and his friends about six times.
Berekete Family is providing a crucial service in a country like Nigeria, where the rule of law is often weak. Nigeria is a place where only the very rich have their way at all times, leaving the majority in poverty.
Despite Nigeria’s vast wealth and potential, petrol, electricity, well-equipped hospitals, and regular pipe-borne water remain luxuries for the rich and top government workers. The poor are left to the mercy of society, or they suffer in silence.
In Nigeria, it’s rare to see elites at polling booths unless they’re candidates. Their children and loved ones are never among the rowdy boys who disrupt elections, steal ballot boxes, and fill them with falsified votes.
Yet, it is these same elites who determine who gets what, who gains, and who loses—regardless of the actual votes cast—because the greedy among our leaders can never have enough.
The former Senator Abbo scandal is just one example of the lows to which our so-called representatives can sink. As we have said in many past writings, “It serves us right,” because we’ve chosen stipends and mind-numbing drugs over electing credible leaders who fear God.
Now that many are feeling the consequences of poor decisions in past elections, it’s time to heed the advice former President Muhammadu Buhari gave before his victory. He often urged voters to “cast your vote, guard it, and witness its counting” before leaving the polling center.
In Nigeria, where anything can happen at the ‘twinkle of an eye,’ it’s not enough to hope for change among bad politicians. Voters must act. Those without voting cards should obtain them immediately.
Only then can we pray for God’s intervention in our affairs. In a country where most daily essentials are unaffordable to citizens, including the so-called educated ones, change is not just desirable—it’s necessary.
Labaran wrote from Abuja.
