The lingering political feud between Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West Senatorial district at the National Assembly and Governor Yahaya Bello may have re-echoed the time-tested cliché that in politics “there are no permanent friends or enemies but permanent interests.” Daily Trust on Sunday digs into the origin of the titanic battle that is now threatening the soul of the ‘Confluence State.’
Inside Kogi power struggle: How Bello, Dino fell out
When he emerged from a meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, Abuja last week Wednesday, the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, did not mince words in attacking Senator Dino Melaye, saying the lawmaker was not properly nurtured into adulthood by his parents.
The governor who was responding to State House reporters about growing political tension in the Confluence State, said it had become apparent that Melaye’s “reckless” behaviour could be traced to his childhood.
“You see, I would rather admonish Nigerians that when a child lacks proper parental care and upbringing, he constitutes social menace in the society,” Bello reportedly told journalists in Abuja, adding: “If the society does not take steps to check and correct such a child, they can take into criminality, then it will be left for the government to check such criminality.
“The good people of Okunland and indeed Kogi West senatorial district have learnt from a bitter mistake of not taming and curbing that social deviant, and they have decided to take lawful steps in recalling him,” Bello reportedly said.
Characteristic of his invective style, the senator swiftly fired back as he reportedly responded to his governor’s jibe by saying that he is a victim of his own rise to political prominence.
“Governor Bello is afraid of anyone with a rising profile, a characteristic of one suffering superiority complex and intellectual stagnancy,” Melaye reportedly said, adding: “He is shooting the moon and boxing the wind.”
The comments by the governor and the embattled senator were coming as the political feud between the two former allies deteriorated, following an outbreak of violence at a political rally in Kogi, for which the two politicians blame each other.
Bello’s visit to Osinbajo came barely two days after a political rally attended by Senator Melaye turned deadly. The Kogi State Polytechnic had confirmed that a student died in the fracas, which broke outside the school’s campus, where the rally was held.
Also, two State Security Service agents attached to Senator Melaye were said to have been injured during the fracas, during which his SUV car was said to have been defaced by bullets.
Governor Bello had accused Melaye of hurriedly putting together the gathering in order to beat back an ongoing effort to recall him from the Senate, even as some electorates in Melaye’s constituency were said to have begun submitting their signatures to end his tenure at the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
The political honeymoon
To many watchers of the unfolding political events in Kogi State, the feud between Governor Bello and Senator Melaye may have come as a surprise. This is because prior to the inauguration of Governor Bello as the executive governor of Kogi State on January 27, 2016, he had enjoyed a cordial relationship with Senator Dino Melaye as one of his close political allies.
Dino was believed to be among the strong forces that supported Bello when the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leadership nominated him (Bello) as the replacement for its late flag-bearer, Prince Abubakar Audu, who died while coasting home to victory in the November 21, 2015 governorship election.
Indeed, Senator Dino served as the chairman of the transition committee that worked out the modalities for a hitch-free handing over of power to Bello and his eventual inauguration on January 27, 2016.
Given the close affinity that existed between them, Dino also served as the master of ceremony for the inauguration of Governor Bello, which held at the main bowl of the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja.
Dino did not hide his support for the governor when he told the mammoth crowd of dignitaries and well-wishers that turned out for the inauguration ceremony that Kogi people voted for Audu but God voted for Bello. The obviously elated Dino went on to urge the people to give unalloyed support and cooperation to the new government, which he said was “divinely orchestrated.”
Genesis of the faceoff
But few months after the inauguration, the political romance between the duo of Bello and Dino turned sour and there have been discordant tunes and cacophony beats of war drums emanating from the two camps ever since.
The two camps have, over the past few months, thrown a lot of tantrums at each other, either directly or indirectly, and had engaged in a number of protests for and against the two politicians.
Many analysts say the genesis of the lingering political impasse between Governor Bello and Senator Dino could be traced to some of the political appointments made by the governor and the alleged sidelining of the party structure in the scheme of things.
Dino was said to have been particularly irked by Bello’s choice of Alhaji Taofiq Isah as the caretaker chairman of Ijumu Local Government Area without recourse to the existing power rotation principle.
Besides the issue of political appointments, Senator Dino had on different occasions insisted that his main grouse with the governor was over the alleged nonpayment of salaries and pensions to workers and pensioners, as well as the continued closure of all tertiary institutions in the state on the account of strike embarked upon by lecturers due to nonpayment of salaries.
Melaye’s spokesman, Gideon Ayodele said: “Senator Dino started disagreeing with Yahaya Bello when he started working outside the party structure. Governor Bello has no respect for the party that produced him. That accounts for the various appointments he made.
“Concerning the claim by some people who are ignorant that Senator Dino was not happy with the appointment of Honourable Taofiq Isa as the administrator of Ijumu Local Government, Melaye wouldn’t have consented to whatever will affect the existing peace and arrangements that have been laid down through a gentleman understanding.
“There are three axis in Ijumu, and by our rotational agreement, the next person to administer the affairs of the local government was expected to come from Ijumu Oke, simply because the immediate past chairman was from Ijumu Arin, and the one before him was from Gbede axis, and Honourable Taofiq is from Gbede, so appointing him amounted to cheating on the good people of Ijumu Oke.
“Senator Dino has no personal issue with Taofiq. In 2007 when he was unable to afford the money for nomination form to contest for the councillorship position, Dino paid N50,000 for him. At the emergence of the APC, Senator Dino made Taofiq the party chairman of Ijumu Local Government, after which he went after Honourable Sam Aro and worked against Senator Dino from becoming the Senator, but God on his side, he won, and today, he is the senator representing Kogi West senatorial district.’’
But Governor Bello’s Director-General on Media and Publicity, Mr Kingsley Fanwo said the political impasse between Dino and his principal was beyond the issue of appointments made by the present administration.
“Senator Dino Melaye was the chairman of the transition committee that ushered in the current administration under the leadership of Governor Yahaya Bello. He doubled as the master of ceremony at the inauguration and he made instructive statements. He said Governor Bello was anointed by God and that anyone fighting him was fighting God.
“He was so excited and hopeful of a new Kogi State under Governor Bello. The governor also gave him the privilege of nominating a woman for the position of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), and he brought the current SSG, Dr Ayoade Folashade Arike.
“But the senator spoke about “elephant sharing” at the stadium that day, without knowing the aversion of the governor to corruption and corrupt practices. He became enraged when the governor refused to “share the elephant” to a select few, but rather decided to use the commonwealth for the common good.
“Secondly, Senator Melaye was not comfortable with the appointment of Alhaji Taofiq Isah, a grassroots politician as the administrator of Ijumu Local Government Council. The governor had selected highly competent grassroots torchbearers as his coordinators during the campaigns.
“They were given elaborate orientation to help drive the New Direction Agenda of his administration. Alhaji Isah was the coordinator for the five local government councils of Okunland. He was also the APC chairman for Ijumu Local Government Council. Senator Melaye urged the governor to drop Alhaji Taofiq Isah, but the governor remained loyal to his commitment. The senator felt bad about that,’’ Fanwo said.
The political impasse between the duo had since continued to degenerate with series of ‘pro and anti’ protests across the state, press conferences and statements, coupled with alleged assassination attempts made on the life of Senator Melaye on two occasions.
The first attempt was on April 15, 2017 in Dino’s country home at Aiyetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of the state, while the second attempt occurred on June 12, 2017 at the gate of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, where the senator was holding an anti-government rally. One person died in the ensuing mayhem.
Dino had accused the Governor Bello-led government of orchestrating attacks against him for daring to speak for the “voiceless civil servants and pensioners in the state, who are being owed salaries and pensions for about 15 months,’’ insisting that he would not be silent.
But Governor Bello has denied having any hand in the alleged attacks on Senator Melaye.
He blamed Dino for the upheavals in the state, saying that he (Bello) had in January 2017, written a petition to the Presidency and the police about the alleged plans by Senator Melaye to cause mayhem and make the state ungovernable.
On the issue of salary payments, the governor said that about 95 per cent of cleared civil servants in the state have been paid, assuring that his administration would continue to cater for the wellbeing of the people and guarantee adequate security in the state.
After the incident in Lokoja, the impasse continued, with Senator Melaye calling for declaration of a state of emergency in Kogi, saying there was insecurity and anarchy in the state.
Dino, who came under Order 43 of Senate Standing Rules, prayed the Senate to order the Inspector-General of Police to immediately undertake an audit of the police armoury in Kogi command.
He said that the constitution empowered the president of Nigeria to issue proclamation of state of emergency in state, adding that there was breakdown of law and order and public safety in Kogi.
“Section 14 (2) of the constitution is very clear on the primary purpose of government, which is the security and welfare of the people, and government must not be seen abdicating that responsibility,’’ Senator Melaye said.
Another twist to the lingering crisis between the duo is the ongoing move by the people of the Kogi West senatorial district to recall Senator Melaye.
The people of Kogi West had, on June 2, protested to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Lokoja, demanding for the recall of Dino over an alleged poor representation and “continuous embarrassment” caused his people.
Spokesman of the constituents, Pius Kolawole, said constituents across the seven local government areas that make up Kogi West senatorial district had compiled lists of 18 alleged offences committed by Senator Dino, upon which they based their demand for his recall.
Although the collection of signatures for the recall of Dino was said to have commenced in his senatorial district, the senator has said that the ongoing move by the electorate in his constituency to recall him from the Senate would fail, alleging that the move was being sponsored by Governor Yahaya Bello.
He alleged that N200 million was released to each of the seven local government areas that make up his constituency to facilitate his recall, an allegation the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mrs Petra Akinti Onyegbule, described as spurious and unfounded.’’
‘We were not induced to recall Dino’
A frontline actor in the recall process in Lokoja Local Government Area, Abdulmalik Suleiman, said people of Kogi West were not induced or influenced by anyone to commence the recall process of Senator Dino Melaye.
He said the people were disenchanted because Dino had failed to provide them good representation but rather engaged in petty and unnecessary controversies in the Senate.
“Dino has become an embarrassment to Kogi West in particular and the state in general. Since we elected him to the Senate, the primary work expected of him as a parliamentarian was not done. Dino has evaded his responsibility and has been pursuing pecuniary and selfish interests.
“He has never thought about how to bring dividends of democracy to his people. He is rather taking on individuals. If he is not molesting Tinubu’s wife today, he will be there diverting attention to the issue of how Ali Hameed must wear the uniforms of customs.
“We did not elect him to be meddling in all these petty issues. We elected him to serve the people. Buying all those roadside awards, being the best senator and all those worthless things are not the reason we sent him there.
“Even though we are not induced to recall Dino, if there is anyone ready to spend N1billion to recall him, it is worth it,’’ he said.
He said the collection of signatures had been concluded in some of the areas while the process is ongoing in some other areas.
“The collection of signatures is going on very well. I can tell you that people are enthusiastic about it. It is an opportunity for them to make a change, and this will be a lesson for all elected public officers because Dino has truly abandoned us.
“This recall is an opportunity for us to redeem the mistake we made in 2015 by electing Dino. I can tell you that it is going on fine and we are confident we are going to get more than the 50per cent, plus one. There is no going back on the move to recall Dino.’’
He said the governor had no hands whatsoever in the recall process as being alleged by Dino, saying it was purely the wish and decision of the people.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State chapter of the APC has condemned the ongoing recall process of Senator Melaye, describing it as “disservice’’ to the state and the western senatorial district of the state.
The state chairman of the party, Alhaji Hadi Ametuo, at a press conference in Abuja, said the contributions of Senator Melaye to the formation of the party, and his “tireless efforts’’ during the electioneering campaigns which led to the party’s victory, including the election of President Muhammadu Buhari, was not only noticeable but extremely valuable.
But speaking to our reporter on phone, the national secretary of the party, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni said the Prince Tony Momoh Peace and Reconciliation Committee, which submitted its report two weeks ago, had done an excellent job as far as party issues were concerned in Kogi.
“What we now have in Kogi is a fight between Governor Bello and Senator Melaye. As a party, we would do everything within our powers to see that everything goes well. You know very well that politics involves complicated issues. We have collective interests, but what matters most is how you manage the situation.
“At our level, the Prince Tony Momoh committee had brought out salient issues that led to serious crisis in Kogi, and at the same time, proffered solutions. The party will implement them in the interest of peace.
“But as I said, there are personal issues within the key actors (Bello and Dino). You are aware that traditional rulers in Kogi State are wading into the matter, and we believe the outcome would be positive,’’ he said.
Another official of the party said that besides mediation, the APC constitution was not ambiguous on issues like the one in Kogi.
“Everyone is a product of the party. No one is an island unto himself, and when internal mechanisms fail to deliver, there are sanctions enshrined in the constitution.
“We have issues in many states and we are resolving them and coming out stronger. Kogi will not be an exception. Both the governor and Senator Dino believe in the supremacy of the party,’’ he said.
But Daily Trust on Sunday observed that shortly after the Prince Momoh committee submitted its report, a fresh frontier of crisis opened up between Governor Bello and Senator Dino.
Senator Melaye fighting for himself – Gov Bello
Speaking on behalf of Governor Bello, Mrs. Petra Akinti Onyegbule, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor said those
who know Senator Dino Melaye too well should know that he does not fight for the common good but for himself.
“Politics of self-interest happened on the part of Senator Dino Melaye. I do think that things need to be taken one step at a time. That is how life is, and boundaries actually exist in every kind of human relationship. When there is a governor in place and a senator from the governor’s state says he wants to be in control, a governor who knows his onions, a governor who doesn’t want to be a stooge and a governor who doesn’t want to be a puppet in the hands of some godfathers would have to resist that.
“I am sure you know that the Secretary to the State Government was actually recommended by Senator Dino Melaye. For him to continue to think that he will actually dictate what happens in the state is not acceptable. The fact that the governor says no, I cannot do this should not bring this level of opprobrium. The opprobrium is uncalled for.
“There is nothing really wrong about that, but when you want to act as if you are fighting for the common good of the people, then we need to know who you are. He is not fighting for the people of Kogi State. Hence, he is not even representing his people well. He has no constituency office in the state. His people do not know where to go should they need him. For the past couple of months, he has not been in Lokoja. The only time he came in was to use the Kogi State Polytechnic as a battle ground to fight for his political life. He has no business whatsoever trying to impose decisions on the governor. And I do think that the governor reserves the right to take advice from whoever he deems fit,” Mrs. Onyegbule said.
On the claim by Dino that his grouse with the governor was over nonpayment of salaries, pensions and continued closure of tertiary institutions in the state, she said the senator did not have the integrity to fight for anybody. “He can use whatever excuse as a smokescreen, but people who actually know him know that he is not fighting for the interest of the masses as he claimed,” she added.
On the allegation of monetary inducement to recall Dino, Mrs. Onyegbule said Bello was the governor of the state and had no business with his recall.
“The governor is not from his constituency. If his people are really satisfied with his representation, they wouldn’t be seeking for his recall. In 2015, we all saw how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) used money to induce voters, but it didn’t work. So let him keep his calm and stop throwing spurious allegations left, right and centre.
“The governor has no business with his recall. It is a business between him and his people who have the rights actually to demand his recall because it is a provision in the Electoral Act. So, if they are not satisfied with the representation they get from him, it is their right to do that, and the state government has no business to say you cannot recall him or say yes, go ahead. It is their rights actually because this is democracy where power resides with the people,” she said.
Bello should repent of his sins – Dino
Speaking with Daily Trust on Sunday, Senator Melaye said Governor Bello should become a born again, repent of his sins, return Kogi money and pay salaries and pensions, adding that he (Bello) must reconcile and work with the party.
“It is not too late for him (Bello) to become a born again, especially in this period of Ramadan. All I am saying is that he should become a born again, repent from his sins, return Kogi money and pay salaries and pensions. He must reconcile and work with the party,” Dino said.
On the genesis of their feud, having been political soul mates, Dino said he supported Bello initially as an advocate of generational change.
“I believed that he would take issues that concern our state very seriously, govern with the fear of God and sincerity of purpose. I also wanted power to shift to the minorities in Kogi State. These were my genuine reasons for supporting Bello ab-initio.
“I did not start fighting Bello until after one year in office, because I felt one year was enough to assess him. I drew the conclusion that he is not only promoting bad governance in the state but he is an enemy of the people. His actions and inactions portray myopism, intellectual stagnancy and total confusion.
“Bello is a very fortunate young man who got the first bailout, got the second bailout, the first trench of Paris Club refund, and recently, he got the second trench of the Paris Club. President Muhammadu Buhari said the bailouts should be used to augment and offset salary arrears and pensions, but unfortunately, Bello has refused to pay salaries for over 15 months, and in an unjust society, silent is a crime,” Dino said.
On whether he had reached out to the governor to ensure judicious use of bailout funds, Dino said when Bello was one week in office he went to his office in Lokoja and advised him on a number of things, but because he is a desperado, he felt the only way to build his own political structure is to jettison those who worked for the party.
“There are people who worked for this party in the state, but all of them have been abandoned and he imported and appointed criminally-minded persons into positions of authority in Kogi State. I have no personal grudge against Bello, I have no personal hatred for him, all I’m saying is that our people deserve better treatment, all I’m saying is that he should pay salaries and pensions, all I’m saying is that we need development in Kogi State. We have not been fortunate. Instead of listening to my agitations and cries, they want to kill me.
“I survived the first assassination attempt masterminded by the state government through the caretaker chairman of my local government. A prima facie case has been established against this person and he has already been arraigned before a competent court of law, but to show that Bello and the state government is part of it, this person is still sitting as the caretaker chairman despite the fact that he is undergoing criminal trial. Evidence has been found against him, guns found in his house and car, a local government ambulance in his custody was found with five guns. Confessions have been made by some of the gang members that attacked me, yet Bello kept this person in office.
“Surprisingly, I got the second assassination attempt from this same person, but I want to say that no amount of assassination attempt, no amount of intimidation, propaganda and name calling will deter me from championing the course of the Kogi people,” Melaye said.
Describing the move to recall him as a huge joke, Melaye said: “A man who does not know that double registration is an offence will not as well know what it takes to recall a senator. He is shooting the moon and boxing the sky.”
Culled From Daily Trust
