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Tag: Sen. Dino Melaye

  • PDP senators to APC: leave Saraki out of jostle for Senate Presidency

    The Senate caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday asked their counterparts in the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop dragging the name of the Senate President Bukola Saraki into the schemes and plots for his successor.

    The PDP Senate caucus said the APC senators should leave Saraki out of the jostle by Senators-elect of the ruling party over who and who gets elected into the leadership of the Ninth Senate.

    In a statement by Senate Minority Leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi and Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sen. Dino Melaye, the PDP caucus stated it has observed closely as the contenders for the various Senate leadership posts in the APC sponsor various publications in the media to make it appear that Saraki is seeking to play a role in who occupy the various leadership posts in the next Senate.

    The PDP Senate caucus warned such surreptitious attempts to drag Saraki into the issue that does not concern him would not augur well for the smooth take-off of the next Senate and could only create suspicion and ill-will among the incumbent Senators and the incoming ones.

    “We have noted with regret and surprise how some Senators who are interested in becoming the next Senate President and those seeking to occupy various leadership positions in the next Senate have been busy dragging the name of the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, into their schemes for fulfilling their ambitions. We believe those involved in this dirty game are only afraid of the shadow of the Senate President.

    READ ALSO: You are jittery, PDP tells APC, Buhari

    “Such people should know that Dr. Saraki is not interested in their plots, schemes and manipulation. His concern now is to continue to provide leadership to the Eighth Senate and to ensure that the Senate achieves as much as it is possible in the remaining two months of its tenure.

    “It is obvious that many Senators and even Senators-elect still defer to Saraki. And this is understandable because he is a national leader of the PDP.

    “He is a respected Senator who has also provided solid leadership for the Senate. So, those who are afraid of his influence should find a positive way to deal with that, not sponsoring falsehood in the media.

    They went on: “Let it be known that no matter the mischief being sponsored by these spineless people, Dr. Saraki knows that it is the duty of all Senators in the Ninth Senate to elect their Senate President and other leaders.

    “Nobody from outside the Senate has such powers. It is also the right of every Senator to aspire to that position as stated by the constitution. He has benefitted from this practice of Senators within the chambers exercising the right. He is conscious of this fact and will not be a party to any plan to seize or interfere with the process of evolving the leadership of the Ninth Senate.

    “We therefore urge the APC gladiators and their handlers to leave Saraki out of their schemes and manipulations. They should go and concentrate on how to convince the Senators-elect and ensuring that the election of the next Senate President takes place in a conducive atmosphere with a view to strengthening the institution and making it perform its constitutional roles, without any hindrance.”

  • DSS denies abducting Melaye

    The Department of State Services ( DSS) has denied that its operatives abducted Sen. Dino Melaye as alleged in some media.

    A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the service, Mr Peter Afunanya, said that the police brought Dino to its medical facility.

    “The Service wishes to state that the information, as being misrepresented by sections of the media, is far from the truth,”he said.

    Afunanya added that there was no time Dino was abducted by the service.

    “The fact is that it was the Police that brought him to the DSS facility after obtaining a 14-day detention warrant with effect from Jan.9.

    “The aim of bringing him to the Service’s facility is to complement Police efforts in giving the Senator a deserved medical attention,”he said.

    He explained that the Service accepted him in line with medical ethics and spirit of inter-agency cooperation.

    The spokesman said the clarification became necessary to address the allegation that hooded men suspected to be DSS operatives abducted him from the Police hospital.

    “The DSS, therefore, reiterates and assures the public of its commitment to professionalism and respect for human rights in its operational engagements,”he said.

    Also, Force Spokesman, acting DCP Jimoh Moshood had earlier explained in a statement that Dino was moved to the DSS facility in Abuja, for further medical attention.

    The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) recalls that Melaye collapsed after surrendering to the police who had laid an eight-day siege on his residence for allegedly failing to honour its invitation with regards to accusation of attempted culpable homicide.( NAN)

  • 2019: Defections won’t stop Buhari’s victory – Tony Momoh

    A former Minister of Information, Chief Tony Momoh, on Friday said the exit of some bigwigs from the All Progressives Congress (APC) would not stop President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election in 2019.

    Momoh, also an APC chieftain, expressed the view in a telephone interview our reporter in Lagos.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Sen. Dino Melaye , Sen. Bernabas Gemade were some members of National Assembly that dumped the APC for the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) in recent days.

    Read Also:Buhari ‘not bothered’ about defections in APC

    Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto, Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue and Gov. Abdul Fatah Ahmed of Kwara had also left with many of their state houses of assembly members to the PDP.

    The Publicity Secretary of APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who is political godson of Saraki had also left the party for PDP.

    Momoh said while the defectors might get substantial votes for their new party in their respective areas, Buhari would still win in their domains.

    The former minister said Buhari got more votes than most of the defectors in their respective zones and states, and the same thing would happen in the next election.

    He said that the president had done well as a leader, and Nigerians would show appreciation and re-elect him.

    “I do not think the defection would stop the President from winning in the next election.

    “I will not say that it will not affect the votes of the president; votes are about people, and now that some people have left, it will have some impact.

    “But I do not think that the impact will be such that it would stop the president from winning.

    “Come to think, the president got more votes more than the defectors in their senatorial zones and states mostly in the North in 2015.

    “Overall he got 15million votes in the election. Now that he is president who has performed well, he will get more votes mostly in the South-South and South-East.

    “He has delivered great projects in these two regions which did not really vote for him in 2018.

    “The votes the president will get in these regions will make up much more for the very few votes he might lose to defections in the North,” he said.

    Momoh said APC should not lose sleep over the defection, as Buhari would record his biggest win ever in 2019.

    The former minister said the president had not disappointed Nigerians on the three-pronged promises of security, corruption and economy on which he campaigned.

    He said the second term of the president would enable him to consolidate on his present achievements.

  • Melaye suspends inauguration of projects

    Citing security reasons, embattled Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West), has suspended the inauguration of his constituency projects.

    He also on Friday announced he had put on hold, the planned thanksgiving service to thank God for surviving alleged attacks.

    Melaye said this in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Gideon Ayodele, and made available to newsmen in Lokoja.

    He said the tour of his constituency and inauguration of projects which commenced on July 18, was marred by violence.

    “You would recall that several weeks ago I announced plan to tour my Kogi West senatorial district and as well use the opportunity to commission numerous projects I facilitated for my constituents in different locations.

    “The inauguration of projects started on Wednesday, July 18, despite the unwarranted arson on two schools in Lokoja Local Government area, which can only be the handiwork of my political enemies.

    “It has become necessary to put out this statement in the face of Thursday’s unprovoked Police assault on my entourage while returning from Yagba Federal Constituency where I went to commission my constiuency projects,” he said.

    Melaye added that all the programmes were expected to culminate in a Grand Finale/Thanksgiving Service on Saturday in his hometown, Aiyetoro-Gbede.

    The senator, however, said that all the programmes would have to be put on hold in view of concerns arising from the security situation.

    He apologised to his constituents and invited guests for the inconveniences the development might cause them.

    “This is however a painstaking decision for me in order to safeguard precious lives and property of peace-loving people of Kogi West,” he said.

    On Thursday, the Kogi State Police Command has summoned Senator Dino Melaye to report at the State Criminal and Investigation Department after his armed guards fired on a team of policemen on patrol duties in the state.

    A police sergeant was the victim of the shooting, the police said and is recuperating in the hospital.

    The Kogi Police Command asked Melaye to report at the SCIID office in the state capital, in the company of his armed guards, as investigation began on the shooting.

    According to the police, their statement, signed by  DSP William Ovye Aya, the PRO, was partly to refute Melaye’s allegation that he was shot at by the police.

    On the contrary, the police said that Melaye’s guards opened fire first, with the police responding. (NAN)

  • Photos: INEC returns Melaye recall notice

    Photos: INEC returns Melaye recall notice

    Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday returned the recall notice to Senator Dino Melaye after fruitless effort to deliver it at the National Assembly in Abuja.

    INEC returns recall notice on Melaye
    INEC returns recall notice on Melaye. Photo Abayomi Fayese

  • Melaye’s recall: Only legitimate court order can stop process – INEC

    Melaye’s recall: Only legitimate court order can stop process – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday said only a legitimate court order could stop process for the recall of Sen. Dino Melaye as demanded by his Kogi West constituents.

    Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of the commission, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

    He said that filing a lawsuit was not enough to stop the recall process.

    INEC had on Monday released the schedule of activities for the recall of Melaye, the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the Senate, with Aug. 19 fixed for verification of signatures of petitioners demanding his recall.

    But, various suits have been instituted in courts to stop to stop the process.

    The cases include those by Melaye and Concerned Kogi Registered Voters, filed separately at a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order to halt INEC from conducting the verification of signatures and the recall.

    Oyekanmi said that the actions of the commission were being guided by the provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

    “The constituents came with sacks of documents which they said were `the signatures’ of more than half of the voting population of Kogi West Senatorial District, which Melaye represents.

    “They also presented a register of the said signatories and a letter, asking INEC to begin the process of recalling the senator representing that particular district.

    “Subsequently, the commission, in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Sections 116 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), on Monday issued a timetable and schedule of activities for the recall of the senator.

    “The first stage is a verification exercise slated for July 10, 2017.

    “To that extent, filing a lawsuit is not enough to stop INEC from carrying out its legitimate duty.

    “Only a legitimate court order or an injunction can be considered by the commission,’’ he said.

    On claims by Melaye that some of the signatures submitted to INEC were forged and that names of dead registered voters were also included, Oyekanmi said that the process of verification would clear all that.

    On method INEC would adopt in verifying thumbprints of registered illiterate voters who are part of the signatories for the recall, he said that it would be handled.

    “The commission will adopt its normal way of conducting the verification exercise, which will be applicable to both the literate and not-so-literate.’’

    He said that the commission would apply its standards in a situation where people believed to have signed the recall letter, failed to show up for signature verification.

    “If the verification fails to meet the established standards, the commission will not proceed to the next stage. The recall process automatically terminates there,’’ he stated.

     

  • Melaye’s Recall: INEC to verify petitioners’ signatures July 3

    Melaye’s Recall: INEC to verify petitioners’ signatures July 3

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it verify the signatures of petitioners for the recall of Sen. Dino Melaye, from the Senate on July 3.

    The commission stated this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja by Mallam Mohammed Haruna, National Commissioner and Member, Information and Voter Education Committee of the commission.

    The electorate in Kogi West Senatorial District on Wednesday submitted petition to INEC in Abuja, demanding the recall of Melaye on grounds of poor representation in the Red Chamber.

    The commission, which acknowledged receipt of the petition, said that decision to begin the process in the constituents’ demand was reached at its meeting on Thursday.

    It said that it had the receipt of the petition for the recall to Melaye through a letter.

    “The next step is to verify that the petitioners are registered voters in Kogi West Senatorial District.

    “INEC will on July 3, 2017 issue a public notice stating the day(s), time and other details for the verification exercise,’’ it stated.

    The constituents of Kogi West, led by Chief Cornelius Olowo, had shortly after submitting the petition, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the move to recall Malaye was based on his “abysmal performance’’.

    He also said that the lawmaker had been disconnected from the electorate since he was elected to represent the district in 2015.

    Olowo accused the senator of distancing himself from his constituents.

    He said that no fewer than 180,500 registered voters out of the 360,000 of them in the senatorial district had endorsed the recall of the senator.

  • Move to recall me will fail, says Melaye

    Move to recall me will fail, says Melaye

    Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi) has said that the ongoing move by the electorate in his constituency to recall him from the Senate will fail.

    Melaye, who is representing the Kogi West Senatorial District in the Senate, made the statement in Kabba, Kogi, on Sunday when he addressed his supporters.

    He said his achievements in the Senate were enormous and as such the people of the constituency were solidly behind him.

    Melaye, who later led his supporters on a peaceful march around Kabba town, alleged that the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, was behind the move to recall him,

    The electorate in the seven local government areas that make up Kogi West Senatorial District on Saturday besieged polling units in the area to endorse the request for the recall of the senator.

    They affixed the photocopy of their permanent voter cards to the recall form.

    Melaye alleged that 30 supporters of his who refused to be part of the move were arrested on the order of the governor.

    “Quote me, Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has released N200 million for each of the seven local government areas in my senatorial district to facilitate my recall from the Senate,” Melaye alleged.

    In his reaction, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Petra Akinti-Onyegbule, described Melaye’s allegation as unfounded.

    The governor and the senator have been at loggerheads in recent times.

  • Policeman, LG chaiman, others paraded over attempt to kill Melaye

    Policeman, LG chaiman, others paraded over attempt to kill Melaye

    The Police on Saturday paraded a policeman, the Local government chairman of Ijumu and four others for allegedly attempting to kill Senator Dino Melaye

    The Senators residence was attacked by unknown gunmen at Iyara, Ijumu LGA in Kogi State on 15th April, 2017.

    One of the suspects paraded admitted to journalists that he informed police operatives about the gang and it’s activity.

    To avoid any form of suspicion, the police said the gang conveyed its members in an ambulance with the inscription; General Hospital Iyara to the Senator’s residence.

    Those paraded are; Taofiq Isah ‘M’ 54 years principal suspect (Hon. Chairman Ijumu LGA Kogi State), Ade Obage ‘M’ 29 years, Abdullahi Isah a.k.a Eko ‘M’ 32 years, Ahmed Ajayi ‘M’ 45 years, Michael Bamidele ‘M’ 26 years and Ex- Sgt Ede James ‘M’ 35 years (Orderly to Chairman of ijumu LGA Kogi State at the time of the attack).

    The police also revealed that other suspects linked to the operation are still at large. They include; Abdulmumini a.k.a Iron, Osama (SNU) Lukman a.k.a General/Commander and China a.k.a Lie down flat and Adamu Aloha.

    Items recovered from them include; One Ambulance Hyundai Bus, Five AK 47 rifles, one Berreta pistol, two locally made single barrel shot gun, 25 expended shells of 7.62 mm ammunition, 13 expended shells of 9mm ammunition and twelve expended shells gauge cartridge.

    The police also displayed certificate of the ballistic expert examination, test and analysis carried out at the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department in Lagos.

    Pictures from the scene of the attack was also revealed to reporters during the parade. Some of the pictures showed several bullet holes on walls and cars.

  • Police arrest six suspects over assassination attempt on Sen. Melaye

    The police on Saturday said they had arrested six suspects in connection with an assassination attempt on Sen. Dino Melaye in his home in Kogi on April 15.

    The Force Spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood, told newsmen in Abuja that the arrested suspects included a Kogi local government sole administrator and his orderly.

    Moshood said that items recovered included one Hyundai Ambulance bus allegedly used in conveying the attackers, five AK 47 rifles, One Beretta pistol and two locally made single barrel shot guns.

    Others were 25 expended shells of 7.62 mm ammunition, 13 expended shells of 9mm ammunition and 12 expended shells of gauge cartridge.

    Moshood said that the firearms had been sent for ballistic expert examination, test and analysis at the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department in Lagos.

    He said that following the attack on Melaye, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris swiftly deployed Police Special Tactical Squad (STS) team to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.

    According to the police spokesman, the suspects used the telephone of the Sole Administrator’s orderly in planning the failed assassination on Melaye.

    Moshood said one of the suspects had confessed to the crime and admitted to have been sent by the sole administrator.

    “He was arrested with a serious criminal link to other active members of the gang,’’ said the Force spokesman.

    He said efforts were being intensified to arrest other suspects at large, adding that the suspects would be arraigned in court on completion of investigation.