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The contest for Kogi West senatorial seat in 2019 is definitely a two horse race between Senator Smart Adeyemi and Senator Dino Melaye. It is going to be an interesting one as the two candidates are well known. Interestingly, both were candidates in the 2015 election when Adeyemi held the ticket of PDP while Dino was APC flag bearer. Today, the duo has changed position with Adeyemi now APC candidate while Dino holds sway at PDP.
Though there are close to five candidates for the senatorial election, it is actually a straight fight between the duo.
No doubt, these two personalities are very popular, having performed to public acclaim in the course of their assignments as elected legislators. However, the similarity of their performances is in name and not in character.
While Senator Smart Adeyemi has demonstrated an excellent level of competence and commitment to duty with copious evidence in the form of constituency projects and core legislative assignments, Dino Melaye is renowned for his commitment to comic performances in and out of the Assembly, delivered in abrasive language, and an outlandish dress-sense.
Quick to memory is the convocation gown wore to NASS, the childish display of material opulence, the “nine hours” tree climbing and the “Jet Lee” acting performance from police convoy. Not to forget the Halloween masquerading.
In fact, nothing stop Dino from being in the black book. To make matter worse, he does not seems to care; apparently aware that the Nigeria society are docile and brainwashed by such aggrandizement.
It should be noted that both men have impressive histories of participation in politics. Senator Adeyemi’s political participation dates back to 2006 when he contested the Senate primary. In that year, he contested the ticket of the PDP and came first but has to go for another run -off. Though he has set out on the road of politics in his professional career where he rose to be chairman of NUJ Kwara council and twice, President of the NUJ. Today, his performance at his first address (journalism ) has set him out amongst other contestants. He has over the years established himself as a great visionary leader, orator, mobilizer and inspiration with an uncommon passion for community advocacy and development. This is the reason why his excellent performance in his two terms did not come as a surprise to those who knew him. He has in fact, exceeded expectation and imagination.
Adeyemi has sponsored more than 7 bills, with some passed into law. He has moved more than twenty motions on the floor of the Senate. He attracted and executed most diligently, over two hundred (200) constituency projects, spread among the seven local government areas of Kogi West. He contributed to the economic empowerment of his constituents by way of giving cash grants and numerous equipment including, hospital ambulances, medical equipments worth hundred of millions of naira, vehicles, scholarship to underprivileged students of secondary and tertiary institutions, who are resident in Kogi West. He facilitated the appointment of hundreds Kogi West constituents in federal government establishments. He also facilitated the training of more than 2000 persons to acquire skills in various vocations.
Adeyemi has been so phenomenal that he has become a legend in the senatorial axis.
Like Adeyemi, Senator Dino Melaye claimed to have graduated from Ahmedu Bello University. He was also involved in student politics as a parliamentarian, he contested the Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal House of Representative on the platform of the PDP in 2007 and won. But the term was characterized by hooliganism and cloth tearing on the floor of the lower chamber.
However, his quest for reelection was aborted in 2011 having failed to secure the ticket of his party, he moved to ACN but still lost at the general election to Hon. TJ Yusuf.
In his eight years sojourn in the National Assembly (Reps and Senate), Melaye stood out as an entertaining talker per excellence. He inadvertently provided a fight like culture always. He was a star performer, not for his bills and motions but for his fighting nature, childish talk -sense and never ending arrogance that has painted the Okun people and Kogi West in such a bad light that the constituent is begging for a change in narrative.
The common opinion in Kogi West is that for eight years, Adeyemi delivered on his core mandate. Dino representation too was impressive. His character qualified him for the Guinness Book of Records of “King of Royal Rumble and showmanship.”
Senator Adeyemi, on his part, has made a name for doing more than the collective efforts his predecessors and successor did in 12 years of collective representation. This feat is what informs the popular opinion of APC stalwarts, supporters, leaders and opinion moulders and the electorates that Adeyemi holds more promise than Melaye especially in the 21st century.
Political pundits opined that a vote for Dino Melaye would to a larger effect be that Kogi West people, in the next four years, would be entertained to same hooliganism, verbal insults and assaults, and display of fleeting benefit, while a vote for Smart Adeyemi would be to the effect that Kogi West people would be treated to more superb performances that would consolidate their good fortune. The choice before the electorates is strictly that of performance and character.
– Aiyenigba Aledare
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