Guber Poll: Why Kogi State Needs Senator Dino Melaye

I have had the privilege of knowing Daniel Oluwagbemiga Melaye for about two decades. Our paths crossed first as students in the nineties, who became acquaintances and then friends. Dino, as was popularly known on the campus of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, was such a phenomenon. He wore the triple cap of being a student politician, an Aluta activist and interestingly, an ‘entertainer’. His genre of entertainment was unique. He was such a hilarious commentator at the school football field. He will thrill football fans with his comical commentaries and spice it up with interesting jocular songs. As a member, and later leader of the schools’ fans club, the impact of Dino can only be better imagined. Now you can guess where the ‘Ajekun iya’ maestro got his inspiration from. Talented, and passionate about anything he does; that is who he is.

This short piece aims at exploring the power of good governance and political integrity vis a vis the tenets of the social contract and how these principles ultimately translate into benefits for political leaders and their followers alike. The work will appraise the activities of Senator Dino Melaye (SDM) and unravel ways through which his practice of political integrity has translated into good governance for his constituents and constituency. I will try in the final analysis to show ways through which a Nigerian legislator has invested good governance to reap the dividends of loyalty from his people.

You will agree with me that the Senator representing the good people of Kogi West has succeeded through every means possible to put his people on the top of mind of Nigerians. This he has achieved through his eloquence, vociferousness against societal ills, hard work, consistent meaningful contributions on the floor of the red chambers and effective representation of his people at the National Assembly. Having watched the growth of Dino over the years in the Nigerian legislative political space, the political scientist in me has always sought to do an analysis of the factors responsible for the love, admiration and support he enjoys from his people. I have chosen to use the term ‘’his people’’ as against maybe the academically more appropriate term of ‘his constituents’ to depict and capture the depth of acceptance and love he enjoys from the very supportive people of Kogi west Senatorial district.

Nigeria’s political history is one that is replete with tales and realties of a very challenging democratic journey. Successive regimes and political administrations have only always left much more to be desired over the years. The strength of any democracy can be tested by the quality of its legislature. The principles of representative democracy are such that seek to establish mechanisms and channels through which good and impactful governance can be transported in reality to members of the polity.

The National Assembly in Nigeria has always been at the pointed end of criticisms, especially in recent years. This is even to the extent that some schools of thought have advocated that the legislative arm of government should be scrapped. A closer look at the reason for these criticisms reveals that these outcries are borne out of the fact that constituents usually feel very alienated from governance. This feeling is more often than not as a result of ineffective representation from some elected leaders who have become painful reasons for perpetual ‘representative power outages’ and disconnections between them and their people.

The essence of the representative model of democracy is to push government and governance closer to the people. However, democracy to some may not be the best model of governance because they as citizens may not have benefited in real and measurable terms from it because of the way it has been practiced in our part of the world over the years.  The experience and testimonies of the people of Kogi West Senatorial District shows that they are on the flip side of that coin. They are a people that have been blessed immensely by the ‘’god’’ of democracy with purposeful, productive, resilient, vociferous, beneficial and developmental representation at the National Assembly as championed by Senator Dino Melaye.

I have watched, with a sense of admiration, the phenomenon Dino evolve from being a political cub to emerging as a dynamic and purposeful political Lion. I have seen him proceed from being a political activist as the convener of the National Association of Democratic Youths (NADY), to becoming the Chief anti corruption crusader at the Anti corruption Network.

Dino in his early days, as is akin to him took an aggressive, ambitious and courageous shot at the membership of the Federal House of Representatives at a pretty young age. As is typical of him, he fought political Goliaths and grabbed a sit at the lower chamber, earning him the privilege of becoming an Honorable Member of the House of Representatives. After an eventful first four years, having lost out of the political game at the time, Honorable Dino was like the proverbial Ram that took a few steps backward in order to make a massive hit and impact. After a four years recess, Dino came back with a loud impact to become the Senator representing the Kogi West Senatorial District in the 8th Assembly. His stay at the Red Chambers was not uneventful as he worked, fought, and conquered on many fronts. He fought so hard that like his Biblical namesake, Daniel, he visited the lion’s den severally and came out only stronger to win a second tenure as the Senator representing Kogi West at the National Assembly.

It is an established fact that life is a dynamics of factors of cause(s) and effect(s).This explains the reason why against all odds and impediments, Senator Dino was shown unalloyed love and support during his political travails. First, it was a Senator Dino Melaye that was politically incarcerated and confined to a hospital bed who defeated political principalities and powers by making a public show of them by his people at the (recall) polls. As if this was not enough, the great people of Kogi West against all odds voted for and ensured that their amiable son and Senator walloped his opponent at the 2019 legislative polls.

May I at this juncture mention that the people of Kogi West Senatorial District which comprises of Lokoja, Kogi/KotonKarfe, Kabba/Bunu, Ijumu, Yagba West and Yagba East made sure that Dino won six out of seven Local Governments. This was a clear case of the people reacting to the cause of good governance, political integrity and effective representation by Senator Dino; the ‘effect’ was giving the Senator another chance through overwhelming votes to represent them in the ninth assembly. This is a mandate like them; I am very sure will never be wasted. I hope other politicians learn from this simple principle and practice of planting good governance to reap loyalty.

Given the foregoing, I will like to form a clear basis and reasons why Kogi state needs a clear headed, focused, result oriented, passionate and purposeful leader like Senator Melaye. I seek to do this against the background of the senator’s antecedents as a deliverer of good governance and a respecter of the principles of political integrity. I will attempt to conceptualize and contextualize the terms good governance and political integrity.

Good Governance

According to Wikipedia, Governance is “the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented)”. The term governance can apply to corporate, international, national, local governance or to the interactions between other sectors of society. The concept centers on the responsibility of governments and governing bodies to meet the needs of the masses as opposed to select groups in society.”

Political Integrity

Integrity is the practice of being honest and showing a consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values. This quote from Nobel Peace prize laureate Aung San SuuKyi of Burma sums up the concept and context of political integrity;

“..Political integrity means just plain honesty in politics. One of the most important things is never to deceive the people. Any politician who deceives the people, either for the sake of his party or because he imagines it’s for the sake of the people, is lacking in political integrity…”

The preceding concepts clearly sum up the character ingredients Senator Melaye is made up of. The capacity to lead his people righteously while upholding his promises to them has helped him to elicit the level of loyalty and love he enjoys from them. Senator Melaye has been able to win the hearts of his people because he possesses what I describe as ingenious political integrity. This clearly is also a lesson our politicians must learn from the senator that if you serve your people well, their loyalty will never be in question.

Why Does Kogi Need Dino?

Senator Dino Melaye (SDM) can be best described as a fearless, courageous, indefatigable, rugged, dogged and passionate fighter. He is an all time winner, an anti oppression and anti corruption fighter. He is a supporter of the masses, a rescuer of the oppressed and a loud voice for the voiceless. A practical leader who has shown capacity to be the good hand Kogites have been yearning for. There are practical reasons why SDM fits the saddle in Kogi state. I will mention some of these qualities:

Capacity, Ability and Political Integrity

SDM has fulfilled the fundamental requirements of delivering Good Governance. He respects the tenets of the Social Contract and possesses Political Integrity. A look at just a little part of his achievements as a first time Senator validates this claim. Apart from the fact that SDM has physically endeared himself to his people through accessible physical presence, emotional connection and support, some of the projects he initiated and has completed give credence to the fact that he deserves to occupy the sit at Lugard House.

Let us take a look at some of these projects:

As shown in the table above, SDM has shown a passionate commitment to delivering good governance to his people through his sense of creativity and equity. A cursory look at the nature and geo political locations of his constituency projects shows that he is a leader with a strategic sense of all inclusiveness. The spread of these projects is a reflection of a man that is ‘de-ethnicized’, open minded, magnanimous and sacrificial in his judgment; it shows the Senator as a man who is committed to achieving sustainable development of his constituency. I am sure the larger people of Kogi state will benefit from his large heartedness.

Did I mention that Senator Melaye was so active in the 8th Senate that (even as a first time senator) he has to his kitty of achievements the fact that he sponsored the highest number of bills in that assembly? I could not have forgotten that because it is a pointer to the fact that the Senator is a hard working go getter.

Integrity

It may interest you to note that SDM has never been found wanting, indicted or convicted for any act of corruption. SDM has unraveled and blown several whistles on acts of corruption and bad governance as they were being perpetrated under successive regimes. Kogi state indeed needs this politician of rare political integrity who has fought the forces of poverty, limitation to become an icon of good governance.

Philanthropy

It is worthy of note at this juncture that SDM has been a philanthropic leader who through his many programmes has impacted on the lives of indigent constituents. Part of his commitment to supporting his people is the recent launch of the Deaconess Comfort Melaye Foundation which under the chairmanship of former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon seeks to support thousands of indigent children across Kogi State.

Empathy

There is a popular parlance that “he who has been tested can be trusted”. This cliché holds true for SDM. Beyond the glam and glamour of a passion for luxurious cars is a tender heart filled with love and empathy for people. Far above his love for humor is a heart of steel, welded with a conviction that fighting for the truth is the purpose of leadership. He believes that “if you speak the truth, you die, if you don’t speak the truth, you die, and so I’ll speak the truth and die”. No wonder, he has severally had his life in the valley of the shadow of death, where he has feared no evil but triumphed for the sake of the masses.

What Kogi State needs at this time of its development is a leader who will lead purposefully and fight for the people conscientiously rather than politicians who will only abuse power while pontificating on their megalomaniac whims and caprices. Kogi State needs a fearless leader who has been tested; a creative and ingenious mind, and an incorruptible personality who has not been found wanting. With Senator Dino Melaye a new and prosperous Kogi state is possible.

– Olumide Deji Oke writes in from Maitama District in Abuja.
olumidegabriel@gmail.com