As the lone wolf cries to the moon without response, Dino Melaye is crying to the wind in abject futility. Senator Dino Melaye is one dude who sticks his neck out when he is consumed by loyalty and conviction. He does it so unabashedly that even the beneficiaries of his supports are sometimes left in awe. Since the inauguration of the present National Assembly, Melaye has been unflinching in his generous supports for the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
When the national leadership of their party, All Progressives Congress (APC) settled for another candidate as Senate President, Melaye made no pretense about his preference for Saraki. He took up a fight with Senator Remi Tinubu and others who were opposed to Saraki. He looked Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the eye and took a trip to Bourdillon Street to taunt the former Lagos governor.
In solidarity, he walked hand-in-hand with Saraki to the Code of Conduct Tribunal, and to different courts where the former Kwara governor has been answering numerous charges bothering on corruption. In fact, he assumed a self-created role of chief supporter of Saraki.
You come against Melaye if you come against Saraki. In fact, he had to wax literally lyical with his infamous ‘Ajekun Iya’ to pass a message about their superiority to any real or perceived opponents to their camp. Such is his cult-like loyalty to the Senate President. The belligerent senator stepped on toes and took on institutions for Saraki.
Melaye is now in the eye of the storms, and it appears he has been left in the lurch by Bukola Saraki. Melaye has been a subject of attacks, recall and litigation but it appears none of these are of any concern to Saraki. Melaye’s travails peaked two days ago when he was stopped and apprehended by the Police just when he was about boarding a flight to Morocco. That trip was cut short, as he was made to return to his Abuja home and instructed to present himself to Police the following day which was yesterday. In fact, his house was under surveillance to ensure Melaye did not bolt away.
Well, he showed up at the station and was subsequently arrested, after which the Police decided to transport him to Lokoja, Kogi. Then, drama ensued. Videos of how a distinguished sat on the road, threatening to kill himself if the Police attempted to take him to his home state have since gone viral. Thugs alleged to be loyal to Melaye was reported to rescue him from the Police.
When that attempt met stiff resistance, Melaye had to show his acrobatic agility by jumping off the moving vehicle after some, an act which landed him in the hospital. 24 hours after the despicable encounter, Saraki has communicated more in silence than talk. Saraki’s ‘unlooking’ game speaks of a strained relationship with his erstwhile loyalist.
Or could it be that Saraki may have traded Melaye on the altar of politics just like he did to Senator Ali Ndume who spearheaded his election as Senate President but later fell out with him? Some have reasoned that Melaye is facing a criminal trial which only a court of law can adjudicate on; as such, Saraki’s support would not amount to anything if truly the Police has a stone-cast case of gun-running against the troubled Melaye. Some have even insinuated that Saraki chose to stand aloof to preserve himself from the drama king that Melaye is.
If Melaye emerges victorious after this spell, it is most likely he would reflect and be circumspect in showing loyalty because it seems his loyalty does not enjoy commensurate reciprocity. Recall he fought tooth and nail against vested interests who were bent on scheming out the current governor of his home state of Kogi, Yahaya Bello when Audu Abubakar suddenly died.
His shout of “Kogi people voted for Audu Abubakar but God voted for Yahaya Bello!” at the inauguration of Bello rang wide across the state. Then both Melaye and Bello fell out. In fact, many observers believe that Bello is a prime architect of Melaye’s misfortune.
