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I have no affiliation with Senator Dino Melaye, as a matter of fact I have never had an opportunity of meeting him one on one for any reason. Therefore, what I wrote about the rather unfortunate incident that happened in the last Kabba Day celebration as to how it affects our image and politics in Kogi with special emphasis on the need why Governor Bello must not allow himself to be deceived by the sycophants and politically impotent hungry youths from the Okun Kingdom that he has decided to surround himself with was a total product of my own thinking which I am propelled by my conscience to speak out. I did that with all sense of honesty and objectivism.
Though my views may not be totally correct but one thing I know for sure that can not be denied is that the event has proven to the entire Kogi People that most of the appointees from Okun Land in the present government do not really have the capacity to represent the interest of their people or grass rooted enough to influence their direction or decision when it comes to election.
That piece of writing of course came with different reactions from those who got themselves bothered to read through. While some look at it as an obvious truth, some other persons frowned at it as they feel it was indicting and thus will present them before their Boss as deceivers.
There were also set of persons who though applauded the issues I raised in that writing but then pleaded with me to add more sense of diplomacy when reacting to issues like that next time.
With all sense of humility and sincerity, I do appreciate the opinion of everyone as it has inevitable given me encouragement in our drive towards a better Kogi state. The truth is that, against the thought of many, Dino Melaye was welcomed by his people and the lessons learnt from this were quite numerous among which I will mention just two.
The first is that, Dino Melaye still has a great and indispensable stake in Kogi west and even outside the shores of Kogi state regardless of how his activities in the senate is being condemned mostly by the loyalist of the present Kogi state government.
Two, whether Governor Bello has an intention of contesting the forthcoming 2019 election or not, he has no choice than to begin to do everything possible to settle his differences with all the aggrieved parties within or outside his party. This he must do to avoid problems that may lead Kogi to go down on her kneels. This is because we can not deny the fact that both him and some other stakeholders in the politics of Kogi state have loyalists and continuous trading and exchange of hate speeches against each other will lead to the drawing of battle lines between them.
I was very happy that Governor Yahaya Bello was matured enough to dodge that programme because even as it is obvious that he no political stamina from Kogi central where he comes from, attempt to hurt or humiliate him that day may have resulted into a clash or fight between Kogi West and Kogi central for obvious reasons.
To my dismay, I read a publication in the vanguard news paper of 11th November 2017 where some set of irresponsible and visionless elders from Okun Land were saying that they warned Dino Melaye from not taking part in the Kabba day celebration. To me this is a very dangerous thing to do and I have so many things running through mind as to if they know the implication of what they are doing especially as it has to do with their Image as an Ethnic Nationality.
Why in the first instance will Dino Melaye be requested or advised in not taking part in an occasion very important as Kabba Day? An event that has been in existence for many years now and it is always an avenue for all the stakeholders from Okun Land to chart a new course to better the lots of their people.
Well, it is true that as humans we may not know the value of what we have until it is lost. I am not saying Senator Dino Melaye does not have his flaws. Some have complained that his much public criticism against the Yahaya Bello government, even as a member of APC, is as a result of the governor’s decision not to allow himself to be used by Dino Melaye. Some are of the opinion that Senator Dino Melaye has refused to organise a youth and women empowerment programme which seems to be the only tradition of persons sent on National Assembly in Kogi State.
And more also that he has refused to help the teeming youths in his constituency to get employment or establish them in every possible way to enable them get engaged in activities that will earn them source of income so that they will become financial independent. But a politician will always remain a politician.
It is important to note that Lokoja/Koto was where the larger proportion of votes that ensured his victory came from. And as a politician it is only important for one to turn his attention when it comes to developmental projects to where he or she is accepted mostly accommodated .
Which of the allegations raised against Governor Yahaya Bello by Senator Dino Melaye is not true? Are Kogi workers under the government of Yahaya Bello not passing through hardship because of non payment or inconsistent salary payment? Are the appointees of Governor Yahaya Bello not behaving carelessly but yet keep reaping from our common wealth even as they have refused to touch the lives of their constituents? Is it also not true that the cost of governance in Kogi state under Yahaya Bello has become too much compared to what ought or used to be? Is it also not true that the present state executive council members are men and women of questionable character?
Kogi may not be the only state having these problems but we are aware of how other State governors are handling labour related matters and political activities in their states diplomatically with much maturity. The question therefore is why Governor Yahaya Bello has refused to act or implement policies through manners that will cause considerable very little bad effects on the citizens no matter how good the outcome will be to the people?
It is true as a state we have gotten it all wrong in so many ways prior before the 2015 election and therefore anyone who truly has the interest of Kogi at heart should know that the staff verification exercise was not only important but necessary. No one is kicking against the staff verification exercise, the complain has always been about the manner in which the exercise was conducted. There are persons who have lost their loved ones in this process. There is no way you will expect such persons to see anything good from him.
If Yahaya Bello would have been humble enough to settle his differences especially with Dino Melaye as I advised the other time, Senator Dino Melaye would have shown his concern about the situation of Kogi civil servants by meeting with Governor Yahaya Bello privately for them to join hands together to take Kogi to the next level. We all know the great role played by Senator Dino Melaye in ensuring that Yahaya Bello be replaced as the APC governorship flag bearer after the death of our great leader, Prince Abubakar Audu.
Morning friends may be dangerous but afternoon friends are more dangerous. The set of persons serving in one capacity or the other in the present Administration mostly and obviously were part of the people that worked seriously against APC in Kogi state. What bothers me most is the fact that Yahaya Bello keeps blaming and labeling PDP members as our enemy but yet people from the same PDP are not only welcomed into APC but funny enough are given chance to serve as appointees in the government. Who then is deceiving who? What is good is good and what is bad is bad. Sometime I am not surprised when I see Kogi State government performing poorly or taking the wrong the direction because the issue is like having an old wine in a new bottle which doesn’t change what used to be and one is therefore confused as to where the change we were promised by the APC is.
I am not an enemy of Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello, I have so much respect for him as the executive governor of our state which is the highest form of patriotism. But truth be told, he can not fight too much battle and expect that he will win in all of them. I wasn’t a fool when I publicly pleaded with Gov Yahaya Adoza Bello to resolve his issues with Senator Dino Melaye but unfortunately the set of failed persons he has surrounded himself with keeps taking advantage of his obvious inexperience in politics and public administration to cause more problem for him.
Not everyone is a politician but we cannot totally disassociate ourselves from the political happenings in our state because if we must develop in the interest of all, we are bothered about their actions and inactions because directly or indirectly whatever they do has effect on us across all classes of citizens.
What I expect Okun Elders to do is to keep appealing to both parties to settle their scores and work together as a team and not take side.
In my own little knowledge, having Senator Dino Melaye from Kogi state is a rare privilege. He is the only National Politician in Nigeria from Kogi state that I know of. His strength and stake in the Senate can not be denied. He has taken Kogi to a high level when it comes to representing the interest of Kogi people in the area of National politics or seeking for federal government’s attention in some situations. Okun people should be proud of him for the pride of place he has fetched for them. I personally appreciate Dino Melaye for his much political knowledge and visionary sense of calculation. He is indeed a Nationalist. The constituency office he built in Kabba is a great achievement and should serve as a challenge to other senators from Kogi state who are using rented shops or apartment as their constituency office. We have also seen blocks of classroom he built across the federal constituencies in Kogi west. What else do we want from him? Is it because he is not giving people money? Is it not better for the money or resources within his disposition to be used for executing projects that will benefit everyone?
Haba!!!
Let us be fair, Dino Melaye do not deserve the kind of treatment the people of Kogi state, especially Okun people who are kinsmen are giving to him. Why are people only concerned about his own misgivings? Were we not all in this state when Governor Yahaya Bello described Senator Dino Melaye as someone who lacks home training or good parental upbringing? Is this kind of statement not too bad to becoming from someone who by law is the chief security officer of His state?
Finally, I urge the Elders and indeed the entire people of Kogi west to rise above hatred for him and show him some level of appreciation for how well he has helped in shaping good image for Kogi State. From verifiable records, Dino Melaye is the senator in the federal republic of Nigeria who has sponsored the highest number of motions and Bills in the Senate. This is a remarkable achievement.
Once again, I urge His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello to halt the threat to our image as a state by putting an end to all these crisis. APC in Kogi State lacks leadership and I feel sorry for us as a state. May God help us. Governance is not an easy task, I appreciate GYB for his courage so far especially in the area of security. He is a child of destiny but I can’t hide my pain in the manner the bunch of sycophants around him are frustrating his efforts.
God bless Kogi state.
– Abdulmalik Hadi Adinoyi.
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