The outrage trailing the viral video involving Senator Adams Oshiomhole should be less about personal conduct and more about accountability optics in a time of deep economic hardship.
Development Diaries reports that SaharaReporters published a viral video showing the senator and former Edo State governor rubbing a woman’s foot aboard a luxury private jet.
The video has spread widely across social media, drawing criticism and prompting fresh questions about the lifestyle of public officials at a time of economic hardship in Nigeria.
At a moment when millions of Nigerians are struggling with soaring food prices, transport costs, and shrinking incomes, images that suggest elite comfort and excess inevitably provoke public anger.
Even where no law has been broken, such displays expose a widening emotional and economic distance between elected officials and the citizens they claim to represent.
Public office holders are constantly judged not only by their words but also by how their lifestyle reflects the times the country is going through.
Many Nigerians feel that leaders speak about economic pain from a place of comfort and distance, and this is an example.
In December 2025, Oshiomhole voiced firm support for President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, saying that despite the hardship Nigerians were facing, the government was moving in the right direction toward recovery.
During an appearance on Channels Television, he admitted that many Nigerians were frustrated by the rising cost of living and business closures following the 2023 fuel subsidy removal, but called on citizens to remain patient and keep faith in the reforms.
When Senator Oshiomhole says the economy is ‘healing’ and that hardship is part of necessary reforms, Nigerians are right to ask whether he truly feels the pain he describes.
The contrast between defending painful policies on television and appearing relaxed in a luxury setting creates a credibility problem.
For many citizens, this is more about whether their representative understands the real cost of those policies on families.
There are also deeper concerns about accountability and transparency. Renting or flying in a private jet may be legal, how does such travel align with the spirit of public service at a time of economic strain?
Shouldn’t public officials exercise more restraint in their lifestyle when asking the public to endure sacrifice?
How do leaders measure ‘improvement’ in living standards when market prices and household incomes tell a different story to many Nigerians?
People of Edo North senatorial district, whom Senator Oshiomhole represents, have important questions to ask him. How often does he visit local markets to see food prices himself? What specific steps has he taken in the Senate to reduce the cost of living for his constituents?
How does he justify the appearance of luxury living while defending policies that have increased hardship? Does he believe public officials should model modesty during tough economic times? And how does he plan to rebuild trust with citizens who now feel he is disconnected from their reality?
It is important for Nigerians to now move beyond social media outrage to civic action. You should demand regular town hall meetings where the senator answers questions directly, request public reports of his legislative efforts and how they benefit Edo North.
Most importantly, ahead of the next elections, Nigerians can organise, stay informed, and use their voice at the ballot box and in public discourse to insist that representation must come with responsibility, empathy, and visible accountability.
Photo source: Sahara Reporters
