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Tag: Dino Melaye

  • Women protest Melaye’s attack on Tinubu

    Scores of women under the aegis of Concern Group on Monday stormed the office of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, to protest the verbal attack on the Senator representing Lagos Central at the upper legislative chamber, Oluremi Tinubu, by her colleague from the Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye.

    The women drawn from the three senatorial districts paraded various placards with the following inscriptions –  “Melaye, Senate is not your father’s house,” “ Dino, leave Tinubu alone,” “We say no to violence against women” and “Women folks stand up against Dino,” among others.

    The leader of the group – Mrs. Anike Adekanye, While delivering a protest letter to Governor Ambode at the Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja, for onward transmission to President Muhammadu Buhari, said  Melaye’s  actions have not only  brought unquantifiable shame to himself and Kogi West, but also to the Senate and the entire country.

    She said, “Melaye had exhibited convincingly that he lacks the “poise, panache, fitness and minimum character to occupy a seat among sane, revered and distinguished men and women in the hallowed chamber of the sacrosanct Nigeria Senate.

    “On this note, we the Concern Group condemned in very strong term Dino Melaye’s assault on Senator Oluremi Tinubu and therefore call on him to tender unreserved public apology to the hallowed chamber of the Senate and more importantly to the person of Senator Oluremi Tinubu and the entire Nigerians which he has brought into great disrepute.”

    The group urged President Buhari to direct relevant security agencies to institute criminal action against Melaye should he fail to apologise within an acceptable time frame to serve as deterrent to others as well as send strong signal to young people who may have erroneously viewed Melaye’s “disgraceful action” as an ideal conduct in a sane and civilized society.

    Receiving the protesters on behalf of Governor Ambode, the state’s Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Lola Akande, assured the women that the letter would be delivered to the President and that necessary action would be taken on the request.

    She commended the women for coming out to defend one of their own, saying the cause was worth coming out for, as the action of Melaye was totally condemnable and unexpected from a Senator of the Federal Republic.

  • Forgery case: Melaye alleges attempts to tamper with evidence

    Forgery case: Melaye alleges attempts to tamper with evidence

    The Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, yesterday claimed that unnamed individuals have concluded plans to doctor the Police report on the investigation of allegation of forgery leveled against the leadership of the Senate.

    Melaye who is also Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), alleged that the plan was aimed to indict Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

    The Kogi West Senator in a statement circulated in Abuja claimed that “those behind the sinister plot are scheming to forge a police report different from the one signed by DIG Dan’Azumi J. Doma in other to justify and prove a case of forgery against the Senate President and the Deputy president.”

    He said it was necessary for members of the public to be aware of the ‘unlawful plan’.

    He said, “We have our own sources and we have been reliably informed that the prosecution having realised that there is a big hole in their case against Saraki and Ekweremadu who were not mentioned in the police report, are now trying to doctor the report and include the names of both presiding officers of the Senate

    “We are aware of that development and we want members of the public to know the level of desperation that these people are ready to go to nail the Senate President and his Deputy.

    “It is because of this plan that they refused to include the police report in the process they filed in court.

    “We have said it repeatedly that the government and specifically, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Abubakar Malami has no case against our presiding officers.

    “They filed the case to distract the two men, embarrass them, force a change of leadership and eventually cow the Senate, in particular, and the National Assembly, in general.

    “The forgery case is the height of desperation by some elements to bring down the legislature. Malami has a personal agenda to achieve an objective for which he has been hired as a counsel by a few aggrieved Senators.

    “Now, a court has affirmed our claim that he is abusing his office and that there is a conflict of interest involving him.

    “The said police report is already in the public space. The media has published it verbatim. We will be watching them to see how they will smuggle Saraki and Ekweremadu’s names into it.

    “This is the height of desperation and we will continue to monitor developments on it. It is clear those who initiated this forgery suit against the leadership of the Senate know that they have made a mistake. They should cut their losses and discontinue the error.

    “To think that they will now use forgery to justify a false case of forgery, further their abuse of the court process as well as abuse of office and think we will be looking at them will not be possible.

    “We will call on the courts to continue to play their role as the last resort for every man who wants justice at all times and in all circumstances.”

  • Think before speaking

    “Think before you speak” is a piece of advice that the Senator representing Kogi West in the National Assembly, Mr. Dino Melaye, should find useful if he is not unteachable. He demonstrated remarkable unthoughtfulness when he spoke on the floor of the Senate on March 2. Or should the counsel be “Speak after thinking”?

    On the positive side, Melaye spoke in favour of made-in-Nigeria products and argued that Nigerians should patronise things made in Nigeria.  Then he got carried away and perhaps stopped thinking for a while as he reportedly made a reference to Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole and his Cape Verdean wife, Iara.

    Melaye was quoted as saying: “We will also move in order to encourage made-in-Nigeria products and begin to talk about made-in-Nigeria women. Apologies to my uncle, the Governor of Edo State, we must, as a people, stop paying dowries in dollars and pounds. It is time for my colleagues here to become born-again.”

    To be fair, the question must be asked whether Melaye meant that Nigerian women could be regarded as made-in-Nigeria products. His choice of words was certainly insensitive, to put it mildly. Likening women to products not only belittled women but also insulted women. There is such a thing as the objectification of women, which is what Melaye did by his unthinking utterance.

    Melaye’s mention of Oshiomhole and his wife reflected the mind of a mischief-maker. What has Oshiomhole’s marriage got to do with the promotion of made-in-Nigeria products?

    More importantly, Melaye displayed narrow-mindedness unbecoming of a Senator in a world that is regarded as a global village. Perhaps only a vacuous mind would try to make an issue of a mixed marriage involving a Nigerian man and a Cape Verdean woman or, by extension, any intermarriage involving a Nigerian and a foreigner.

    The point is that Melaye could have made his point without turning himself into an object of ridicule by mouthing irrelevancies. When a Senator opens his mouth in the Senate chamber, he should watch his mouth. Melaye should learn to keep his mouth shut if he can’t think before speaking.

  • Abuja land: Senate seeks sanction against Jonathan, ex-ministers

    Abuja land: Senate seeks sanction against Jonathan, ex-ministers

    The Senate is exploring ways of invoking sanctions on former President Goodluck Jonathan and some of the ministers that served under him for appropriating reserved plots of land in Abuja.

    According to the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the plots acquired by Jonathan and his ministers were designated as green areas, flood drains, city buffers, recreation, sewage lines, urban farming and city monuments.

    At a briefing on Wednesday, the chairman of the Committee, Senator Dino Melaye, said the illegally acquired areas fall within the highbrow Maitama District.

    Describing the action of Jonathan and his ministers as “satanic”, Melaye blamed the immediate past former Minister of the FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed, for indiscretion.

    Besides Jonathan, the committee listed other beneficiaries of the land grab to include former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and former Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke.

    Others beneficiaries are – ex-Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus and a serving Executive Director in the FCT, Alhaji Ismaila Adamu.

    Some of the beneficiaries have started erecting structures on the plots, which were hurriedly allocated in the twilight of the last administration and Certificates of Occupancy hurriedly issued for the plots.

    Melaye said, “Senator Bala Mohammed, in his bid to satisfy some powerful Nigerians before the end of his tenure, disregarded the wisdom of his predecessors and the vision of the founding fathers of Abuja.

    “He went ahead to implement Messrs Fola Consult Limited’s recommendation by allocating these important features at the Maitama Hills to these powerful Nigerians.

    “It is pathetic to state that one of the allottees has erroneously burst a sewage conduit pipe and the entire area messed up with offensive odour which could trigger off serious epidemic within that location.”

  • Melaye to Obasanjo: Your letter a misplacement of anger

    Melaye to Obasanjo: Your letter a misplacement of anger

    Former Chairman, Senate ad-hoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Dino Melaye, on Thursday responded to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to Senators and members of the House of Representatives, describing the ex-president’s outburst as misplacement of anger.

    Obasanjo had accused the lawmakers of reckless spending and abuse of office and asked them to return to path of honour.

    The ex-President also asked the lawmakers to open their financial records for external audit.

    But Melaye told journalists in Abuja that Obasanjo’s letter was borne out of a misplaced anger.

    He also accused the former Nigeria leader of exposing the National Assembly to corruption during his celebrated third term agenda.

    The Kogi West lawmaker wondered why Obasanjo should mistake the 8th National Assembly as the one that allegedly defrauded him in 2007 by collecting his money and refused to actualize his third term plot.

    He noted that it is hoped that the letter was not an attempt to cover up and distract attention from the Halliburton and Siemens corruption allegations.

    Melaye said, “I have tremendous respect for President Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Obasanjo.

    “Elder statesman, respected pan Africanist and committed patriot.

    “I went through the letter written to all Senators and members of the House of Representatives.

    “The letter I can see is a misplacement of anger. Our leader is mistaken the 8th National Assembly as the same Senate Assembly that defrauded him in 2007. I mean those that collected his money and refused to implement the 3rd term agenda.

    “I appeal to Baba that we are not the ones please.

    “After nine years of that bribery saga, the first of its kind, I expect forgiveness to have taken place.”

  • Update: Tribunal upholds Melaye’s election

    Update: Tribunal upholds Melaye’s election

    The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State Monday dismissed the petition filed by Senator Smart Adeyemi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the victory
    of Senator Dino Melaye representing the Kogi West Senatorial district.

    Smart headed for the tribunal to challenge Melaye’s election, alleging that the election was fraught with irregularities and that Melaye of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate did not participate
    in his party’s primary.

    The tribunal chairman, Justice Akon Ikpeme in her ruling faulted all the five grounds upon which the petitioner (Smart Adeyemi) hinged his case and subsequently dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.

    She held that the petitioner, Adeyemi was unable to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.

    On allegation that Melaye did not score the majority lawful votes in the election, the tribunal held that the petitioner could not prove his case beyond reasonable doubt, saying that whoever alleges fraud in
    an election must prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.

    It also dismissed the ground that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not substantially comply with the Electoral Act, saying the petitioner could equally not prove his allegation beyond reasonable doubt.

    On whether Melaye was properly fielded as the candidate of the APC for the election, the tribunal held that documentary evidences presented to it by both the party (APC) and INEC corroborated the fact that
    Melaye was the winner of the APC primaries held on December 8, 2014 at Kabba, Kogi State.

  • Adeyemi to tribunal: Nullify Melaye’s election

    Adeyemi to tribunal: Nullify Melaye’s election

    …Adeyemi’s petition is baseless – Melaye

    A former Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, Sen. Smart Adeyemi, has asked the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal to nullify the election of Senator Dino Melaye.

    But Melaye asked the tribunal to dismiss Adeyemi’s petition for being grossly incompetent, a regrettable waste of time, incurably bad and unmeritorious.

    Adeyemi made the submissions in the final written address presented to the tribunal by his counsel namely Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Dr. Kayode Olatoke (SAN), A.O. Otitoju and T.O. Adeboye.

    The copy of the written address was obtained by our correspondent from the tribunal.

    Citing 53 authorities, Adeyemi said he scored majority of the lawful votes of 36,100 compared with Melaye’s votes of 33, 146.

    He also said Melaye was not qualified to contest the March 28 Senatorial election because he was not a product of valid primaries in All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Adeyemi said: “Melaye is not a product of any valid primaries of the 2nd Respondent (APC). Furthermore, a careful perusal of Exhibit 32(3) which is the purported report of INEC to evidence the conduct of APC Primary is not even on the letter headed paper of INEC nor that of APC and a careful reading of its heading will show its dubious status.

    “The document, therefore, constitutes documentary hearsay and has no probative or evidential value.

    Making reference to Supreme Court’s decision on Ojukwu v. Yar’Adua( 2009), Adeyemi urged the court to discountenance Melaye’s attempt to adduce fresh facts.

    He added: “Having said that, it is respectfully submitted that any evidence adduced contrary to the pleadings goes to no issue.”

    Adeyemi sought the following reliefs:  “We urge your Lordships to grant all the reliefs sought by the petitioners based on the following settled points:

    “The petitioners have proved their case based on unchallenged oral and documentary evidence adduced by them.

    “On the state of the pleadings, the respondents did not join issues with the petitioners on the key and crucial aspects of the petitioners’ case.

    “The oral and documentary evidence of the petitioners were not challenged at all by the respondents. In fact, the respondents did not produce counter oral or documentary evidence against same.

    “When the unlawful votes are deducted from the votes of the parties, the 1st petitioner will have the majority of lawful votes as shown in the address.

    “Alternatively to disqualify the 1st respondent (Sen. Dino Melaye), nullify the election and order a fresh election.

    But in his submission, Sen. Dino Melaye, through his lead counsel, Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN), said he was validly elected by the people of Kogi West Senatorial District.

     

  • Ministers: Senate may dump ‘bow and go’ practice

    Ministers: Senate may dump ‘bow and go’ practice

    The practice of “bow and go” accorded to Senators and members of House of Representatives nominated  as ministers may be jettisoned by the Senate during the screening of President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominees on Tuesday.

    The list of the much awaited ministerial nominees will be unveiled  by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, during Tuesday’s plenary.

    The Chairman, Senate ad-hoc committee on media and publicity, Senator Dino Melaye, insisted in Abuja that the screening of the ministerial nominees will not be business as usual.

    Melaye said,” The era of ‘bow and go’ should be regarded a thing of the past since only the right nominees would scale through Senate screening crucible.

    Also setting the terms for screening of the nominees, Senator representing Abia North, Mao Ohuabunwa, told reporters on Monday that though the Senate would be guided by the constitution and Senate rules, the lawmakers had resolved to be quite stringent in their approach.

    Ohuabunwa noted that if Senators and members of the House are on the list, they would be accorded respect but should be made to speak to Nigerians through their representatives in the Senate.

    The Senate, he said, will make sure that whoever is nominated as minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria must be somebody “worth his salt. That is somebody we can rely upon and somebody who would have met the constitutional requirements of their appointments.”

    “The list will be unveiled on Tuesday, the Senate President kept to his word that the envelope will remain sealed until Tuesday.

    “We know that all we have been reading could be speculations until it is opened.

    “It will be read on the floor of the House and we will know. Even the 21 that people are speculating will be ascertained on Tuesday.”

    On Senate tradition of “bow and go” for Senator-nominees, he said, “We will be guided by the constitution and the rules of the Senate. This time around we have resolved that we are going to be quite stringent.”

     

  • Senate resumes Tuesday

    Senate resumes Tuesday

    The Chairman, Senate Adhoc Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Dino Melaye, on Monday said the Senate will resume on Tuesday after a six- week recess.

    Melaye, who stated this in a statment in Abuja, also dispelled speculations of a likely postponement of the resumption of the upper chamber.

    He said the Senate will commence legislative activities and is fully ready to receive and welcome communication from President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Melaye said the Senate is committed to do things that would promote the unity, prosperity and wellbeing of the Nigerian people.

    He added that there will be no “stormy session in the Senate on resumption as being peddled by a section of the media since both the leadership of the upper chamber and all Senators are at peace with each other and focused on working for the betterment of the country at all times.”

    He said: “I want to confirm that the Senate will resume on Tuesday. We are set to carry out all our legislative responsibilities.

    “I also want to use this opportunity to announce the resolve of the Senate, to do only those things that will promote the unity, prosperity and wellbeing of the Nigerian people.”

     

     

  • Jitters in Saraki’s camp as Dino Melaye, other senators keep mum

    Attempts to get the reaction of Senator Bukola Saraki’s political ally, Senator Dino Melaye, to the warrant of arrest issued by the Code of Conduct Tribunal against the Senate President yesterday met a brick wall.

    Melaye, known widely as one of Saraki’s most vocal supporters, declined comment when our correspondent contacted him yesterday, raising suspicion that the proverbial hand of the clock may have turned a full circle at the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

    Melaye, the spokesman of Senator Saraki’s campaign for the Senate President position, had maintained his vocal posture while Saraki defied the All Progressives Congress’ directive on the filling of Senate positions.

    He is currently facing his own legal challenges in the Kabba/Lokoja Senatorial constituency where Senator Smart Adeyemi is seeking a reversal of Melaye’s victory in the 2015 senatorial elections.

    Melaye, who is currently the Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Media and Publicity. declined to send any response to our reporter’s text message demanding his reaction.

    Before and after the text message, about 15 calls our correspondent made to his phone went unanswered.

    Repeated calls and text messages made to the telephone lines of other senators also went unanswered while two of them sought more time as they cautiously weighed the implications of the development.

    The fate of the four committees inaugurated by the Senate on July 29, this year may hang in the balance if the power equation, including the Saraki leadership of the Senate is altered as a result of the unfolding developments.

    The four committees are the Selection Committee, the Rules and Business Committee, the Ethics and Privileges Committee and the Ad-hoc Committee on Publicity.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki heads the Selection Committee while the Rules and Business Committee is headed by Senator Babajide Omoworare from Osun East Senatorial District and the Senate Ethics and Privileges Committee has Senator Samuel Anyanwu from Imo East Senatorial District as its Chairman.