Opinion I Melaye's Controversies And Police Makosa Dance

MELAYE’S CONTROVERSIES AND THE POLICE MAKOSA DANCE

      

Senator Dino Melaye has conspicuously emerged a household name not just in the National Assembly (NASS) but in the contemporary Nigerian polity. The outspoken legislator who is currently representing the constituents of Kogi West Senatorial District in the eighth assembly, has for quite some time now, been controversially dominating the banner headlines of most dailies domiciled in the country.

      

Not many Nigerian politicians can boast of being in the mould of Sen. Melaye. Not so much for the many bills and motions he had thus far sponsored but for many controversies that have dogged his political personage.

      

On Tuesday, 12^th July 2016, the lawmaker had in a closed-door plenary of the Red Chamber of the NASS, unequivocally abused his female colleague – Oluremi Tinubu – over some remarks made against his person by the latter. It’s noteworthy that Mrs. Tinubu is the lovely spouse of a national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Ashiwaju Bola Tinubu.

      

It was gathered that the two senators’ clash was informed by the request made by the Kogi senator on the floor of the hallowed chamber. Sen. Melaye – an ardent supporter of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki – had enjoined the Senate to deal mercilessly with its honourable members who had offered to serve as prosecution witnesses in the ongoing forgery case against Sen. Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.  

       

Mrs. Tinubu, who was reportedly among those Mr. Melaye was pointing accusing fingers at, rose up in anger and began to react furiously to the latter’s demand. In the process, the altercation almost resulted in a physical combat after the Kogi legislator said to her face “I will beat you, impregnate you and nothing will happen”. The melodrama subsequently metamorphosed into a ‘war’ between Melaye and Ashiwaju Tinubu.

      

Way back in 2007, barely four months after he was elected into the NASS – House of Representatives precisely – where he represented Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu/ Federal Constituency of Kogi State, Sen. Melaye filtered into the news for the wrong reason.

      

At the peak of the crisis – on September 20, 2007 – that trailed the allegation that the then Speaker, Patricia Etteh awarded N628 million contract to renovate her official residence and that of her deputy, Babangida Nguroje in Apo Legislators’ Quarters, Abuja, Melaye physically exchanged blows with two of his colleagues – Emmanuel Jime (Benue) and Samuel Sejoro (Lagos) at the public sitting of the David Idoko-led panel that investigated the alleged contract scam.

      

His ‘troublesome’ nature continued unabated throughout his four-year tenure in the Green Chamber. For the next four years (2011-2015) he was out of the legislature, Sen. Melaye went back to activism. He floated the Anti-Corruption Network, which he used to campaign against graft. One of the cases the group fought against was the one involving a former Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah who allegedly purchased two BMW armoured vehicles for N255 million while in office.

       

So, in 2015 when he found himself in the Red Chamber, he apparently thought it wise to continue from where he stopped in the NASS. Two years after his existence in the Senate, members of his constituency – Kogi West – began a recall process against him.

      

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Monday, 3^rd July 2017, released the time-table for the recall of Sen. Melaye, which was allegedly engineered by the sitting Governor of Kogi State Alhaji Yahaya Bello perhaps as a result of the political disagreement between the duo, following the receipt of recall petitions purportedly signed by over 188,000 constituents from his senatorial district, citing loss of confidence in their Senator.

        

Sen. Melaye via his solicitor Mr. Mike Ozekhome consequently filed a suit at the court, asking the jury to halt the recall bid, in which he alleged that even dead bodies signed. On September 11, 2017, the Justice Nnamdi Dimgba-led jury of the Federal High Court, Abuja dismissed the suit, hence the lawmaker headed for the Supreme Court to seek for redress. Unfortunately, early this year, the apex court upheld the recall move, mandating the INEC to continue with the process.

      

Recently, the embattled legislator alerted the police on an alleged serial plots to assassinate his person. In addition, the women drawn from the seven LGAs of Kogi West Senatorial district marched from the streets to the senator’s residence in Kogi State, conveying their solidarity to him while accusing Gov. Bello of being behind the alleged plot. The police, however, reportedly discovered that the information was false after conducting investigations.

      

Sen. Melaye stated that the reason Gov. Bello wanted him dead was because of his stand on the prolonged plight of the state workers and retirees. It would be recalled that for over fifteen months, the said governor refused to pay salaries and pensions in Kogi State, yet had reportedly collected N20 billion and N11 billion from the Federal Government, respectively as bailout fund and Paris Club refund.

      

On Monday, 23^rd April 2018 – at about 7.00am – on his way to Morocco for an official assignment, Sen. Melaye was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja by the personnel of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) who later claimed that the arrest was based on police instruction.

 

Intriguing, on that fateful day, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police laid siege to his Abuja residence in spite of their earlier denial that they never instructed the NIS  to arrest the lawmaker.

      

It’s worthy of note that, prior to the arrest, the police recently declared Sen. Melaye wanted after the lawmaker was accused of supplying arms to some murder suspects who allegedly implicated him. The senator frantically denied the allegation. The police had, after the arrest at the airport, stated that the legislator had earlier been invited on different occasions for interrogations but he ignored the invitations.

      

On that same Monday, Sen. Melaye reportedly jumped down from a moving police vehicle en route Lokoja, the Kogi State capital while being detained by the SARS. It was gathered he was being translocated to Lokoja to stand trial for the crimes relating to murder and armed robbery he was accused of. The reaction by the embattled senator resulted in his hospitalization on Tuesday, the following day.

 

I wonder why a serving senator would jumped out from a vehicle in motion. It's really absurd and disheartening that a Nigerian who supposed to act as a role model could performed such unthinkable drama. 

      

The report had it that Melaye feared that his life would be in danger if taken to Lokoja, owing to the perceived sinister motives of both the police and the Kogi State government. It was further reported that the case in question had already been transferred to the Abuja High Court upon request of the accused senator.

      

The matters arising from Sen. Melaye’s case are numerous. There are too many questions to be answered by the police. First, why would a sitting senator be arrested on his way to a foreign country for an official engagement? Secondly, why was his residence barricaded after the arrest without any court order as if they just captured a roadside criminal?

      

Thirdly, having transferred the case from the Lokoja High Court to that of Abuja as we were told, what then prompted the proposed translocation of the embattled lawmaker? Fourthly, why did the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris refused to answer the call of the Senate for onward clarifications?

       

There are things the law enforcement agency isn’t really telling us. Though I’ve faulted Melaye’s refusal to attend to the police previous invitations for interrogations as alleged by the latter, I saw no reason the sitting senator should be molested by them. Notwithstanding, if the legislator has a case to face in the law court, he should endeavor to do so since there's no immunity clause that overrides such proceeding. 

 

It's noteworthy that, considering Sen. Melaye’s obvious impact on the NASS, Kogi State as well as the Nigeria’s polity at large in recent times, his recent arrest by the police was ostensibly politically motivated.

        

Hence, as the embattled lawmaker dances this makosa dance being played by the police, the latter needn’t be told that the music is overheating the polity, hence the compelling need to call it a quit. Think about it!

 

Comrade Fred Nwaozor

National Coordinator, Right Thinkers

_________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Twitter: @mediambassador            

          

Opinion I No Voter's Card, No Salary, Admission Et al

NO VOTER’S CARD, NO SALARY, ADMISSION ET AL

        

The last time I checked, the Imo State government had presented a platform that would ensure that virtually every Imolite – who has attained the adulthood – could boast of his or her Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC)

        

Two weeks ago, the Rescue Mission Government disclosed its intention to stop any worker in the state from collecting his/her monthly salary if they failed to present their PVC. The initiative, which was declared by the state’s governor Chief Rochas Okorocha, equally stated that anyone seeking admission into the state-owned institutions would not be granted the opportunity if he/she is yet to obtain the PVC.

        

It’s noteworthy that the proposed measure was also extended to everyone who intends to have any business transaction with the government. This signifies that any business person nurturing interest to engage him/herself in any business with the government would never be contracted to do so if they can’t show their voter’s card.

       

Hence, no contract, trade or collaboration of any kind, between the government and any corporate body or individual if the latter does not have their PVC. To throw more light; if a corporate organization is involved, each of the persons that constitute its management or leadership would be expected to individually tender their voter’s cards.

      

This is a welcome development, to assert the least. It’s a highly welcome initiative because it is targeted to ensure that no one, particularly adult, exempt him/herself from possessing the ‘almighty’ PVC. The PVC is required to be collected or possessed by every living adult in Nigeria in its entirety, and Imo isn’t an exception. It is seemingly aimed at ensuring that no one runs away from such a constitutional task.

       

This, therefore, implies that it would be very crucial for other states across the country to borrow a leaf from the Imo Government with a view to ensure that each of the citizens domiciled in their respective territories does not exempt him/herself from taking a walk to the closest office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and obtain the PVC.

       

However, it’s worthy of note that overtime the Nigerian society has been bedevilled by the inability to implement a laudable and wholesome policy having made a pronouncement in that regard. Its’ not anymore news that most times when a certain policy is pronounced by the government, not just in Imo but at all levels, in the long run the intended policy or programme would not see the light of the day. This is needless to say that most government’s policies die on arrival.

        

It’s against this backdrop I candidly implore the Imo government to ensure that this measure doesn’t collapse on arrival. It is pertinent for the government to comprehend that the policy in question will surely die as it arrives if apt measures aren’t put in place. The government needs to acknowledge that the said initiative will hold no water in the long run if the needful isn’t done.

       

Hence, I would advise that a committee comprising well-trusted individuals is set-up in earnest to ensure compliance. The proposed committee would operate round-the-clock towards ensuring that no one, no matter how highly placed, violates the policy. And, for the committee to function as expected, every facet of the government’s authority must be willing to grant its members all the needed support. In other words, no iota of compromise should be displayed by anyone in a position of authority.

       

Similarly, it would be lofty to sell such a policy to the state legislators towards conscientizing them to deliberate on it with a view to domesticating it. The policy deserves to be given a fair hearing by the lawmakers, so that, it would be domesticated thereafter. Making the policy emerge as an extant law would ensure that successive governments uphold it without any contemplation.

        

I can’t concur less with the Imo government’s notion that the proposed measure, if duly implemented, would go a long way in ensuring that the fast-approaching 2019 general elections witness a massive turnout. We are not unaware that it is only the aforementioned anticipated response by the electorate that would guarantee an all-inclusive participation. And, we are aware that such manner of involvement by the people will usher in a successful outcome at the end.

       

Notwithstanding, regarding the part of the proposed policy that pertains to securing admission into the state owned tertiary citadels of learning, we need to acknowledge that not everyone is legible to obtain the PVC.

        

The card is constitutionally only meant for people that have attained the adulthood, or the age of eighteen. It’s no longer news that nowadays teenagers are part of those seeking admission in our various higher institutions, hence the need for the policy not to be applicable to all admission applicants.

       

So, inasmuch as the approach in question is a wonderful one and deserves  accolades, there’s equally need for the concerned authority to understand that it’s not required to affect every individual who belongs to the set of people it is meant for such as the workers, businessmen, admission seekers and what have you, as mentioned by the government.

       

However, whatever caution meant to be adhered to as stipulated above, the bone of contention surrounding this piece is that the approach in question is a welcome one that ought to be granted all the supports it requires towards ensuring its absolute success afterwards. Thus there’s a compelling need for the Okorocha-led administration, otherwise known as the Rescue Mission, to expedite move towards putting the policy into action.

        

The INEC, on its part, needs to ensure that the centres meant for the collection of the PVC are brought closer to the electorate rather than the current situation whereby they are required to go to their various Local Government headquarters for the exercise. Such a proposed measure would ensure that the people don’t spend much, financially, in the process.

         

As we all patiently await the 2019 elections, it’s needless to reiterate that the ‘no voter’s card, no salary, admission et al’ mantra ought to serve as one of the veritable tools to ensure undiluted success at the polls. Think about it!  

 

Comrade Fred Nwaozor

National Coordinator, Right Thinkers

__________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com
Follow me: @mediambassador              

     

Opinion I As Multitude Get Away With Murder

AS MULTITUDE GET AWAY WITH MURDER

        

The last time I checked, Nigeria was ostensibly synonymous with murder. The ubiquitous bad omen, which is usually occasioned by the activity of the so-called herdsmen, has made virtually every rational Nigerian resort to sleeping with one eye open.

       

The ugly scenario has lingered unabated that many have begun to insinuate that the Nigerian State is now a ‘Banana Republic’. In some quarters, most dwellers are endlessly of the notion that Nigerians as a people are facing a nemesis owing to the perceived mistake made in 2015 during the last electioneering era.

        

It wouldn’t be an overstatement if one opines that we have lost statistics of cases pertaining to massacre or homicide that transpired in recent times. The worst of all remains that no locality across the federation is exempted while discussing those that have suffered from such dastardly acts. Little wonder even a kid could with ease take to the social media just to write all sorts of trash against the President Muhammadu Buhari – led government.

        

The purported farmers, rather than acting as guests while breeding their livestock, end up constituting evitable nuisance in their various host communities. This domineering and nonchalant idiosyncrasy of the armed herders who parade themselves with unspeakable ammunition and weapons has overtime been arguably overlooked by the government and other concerned authorities.

       

Two years ago, precisely on Monday, 25^th April 2016, a certain group of herdsmen unleashed an astonishing and untold terror on the people of Nimbo Community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State. The attack resulted in a massacre that could only be imagined. In the crisis, reportedly scores feared dead, countless persons maimed, about a hundred residents injured, several houses cum worship places razed, thereby rendering over two thousand dwellers homeless.

       

Though the above incident may have come and gone, it’s pertinent to acknowledge that the peril it inflicted on the living victims is unarguably an experience they will live to recall. Myself, each time I recollect that a certain community in Enugu in the history of this country woke one morning only to be brutally taken unawares by a group of total strangers who had supposedly been their beneficiaries, I only take solace in the perceived notion that it could be a mere dream. Yet till date, no one has been convicted in regard to the mayhem.

        

Subsequently, as if that wasn’t enough, such an ordeal transcended to other states. Currently, it seems states like Benue, Taraba and Zamfara have abruptly become the headquarters of the cruel herders. At the moment, no day that comes on board, we wouldn’t hear that a certain part of the said provinces – particularly Benue – had been attacked by the ‘herdsmen’. 

       

Penultimate week, on Tuesday, 24^th April 2018, the same set of individuals unleashed terror on the people of Ayar-Mbalom village of Gwer East LGA in Benue State during a requiem service in a Catholic Church identified as St. Ignatius. The incident, which claimed the lives of two priests – Reverend Fathers Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha – and seventeen worshippers, commenced at about 5:30am when gunmen who had been lurking in the bushes swooped on the villagers who had sorrowfully gathered to bury their dead.

        

It was gathered that the attackers first started the attack in a neighbouring community in the evening of the previous day being Monday, but were repelled by the locals. They subsequently made effort all through the night in some villages within the surroundings and further met with stiff resistance. The invaders, who were with both machetes and firearms, reportedly numbered about thirty.

        

It was further reported that aside the Catholic Church, the supposed herders burnt down various homes, destroying thousands of food items and properties. Some residents who tried to flee the scene were stopped dead in their tracks by a hail of bullets.   

        

President Buhari had described the incident as vile, evil and satanic. I wish someone could tell Mr. President that it isn’t about issuing a condolence message from the State House but swinging into action without much ado towards averting reprisal, which I have long foreseen.

        

It’s noteworthy that barely twenty-four hours later being Wednesday 25^th April 2018, a different set of attackers, or perhaps the same people, descended on another locality identified as the outskirts of Daudu still at about 5.00am. A cross-section of the villagers confirmed the attack and disclosed that people were killed, though the police couldn’t give the exact picture of what transpired. According to the report, the residents were awoken by gunshots and the cries of agony from victims.

        

It’s indeed mind-boggling to realize that while Nigerians are on a daily basis being eaten up by gunshots from these terrorists, some selfish politicians are busy endorsing Buhari to re-contest for a second term in office. Similarly, the only contribution most Nigerians could make was that they were ready to sack Pres. Buhari come 2019.

        

Isn’t it so disturbing to note that at a time when every sane mind is expected to be sober, we’re rather preoccupied with frivolities all in the name of 2019 elections? Think about it!

 

Comrade Fred Nwaozor

National Coordinator, Right Thinkers

__________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056
Twitter: @mediambassador