The Senator representing Kogi West at the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dino Melaye, has described his new problem of having to face a law court for misinforming the police as caused by what he described as unjust society, believing that he is being prosecuted unjustly by the Federal Government and vowed to fight the government with the last drop of his blood.
This, said by Melaye at a plenary of the Senate, is captured in a video published on Vanguard’s website, viewed by The DEFENDER on Saturday.
The controversial Senator has been set for arraignment by the Federal Government for misinforming the Nigerian Police over an allegation mid-last year of who was responsible for the attempted assassination against him.
This time, the Senator who noted that Jonathan government arrested him 14 times and so that he was not afraid of being sent to prison, boasted that his fight in Kogi State is “battle to bring Nigeria back to track from these criminals in power” and vowed to fight the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government with the last drop of his blood, adding that it was a battle of no retreat, no surrender.
Melaye is said to have had all his fights since he entered Senate in 2015 against his party the All Progressives Congress (APC), even as #CorruptionFightBack by those being prosecuted for having looted the nation’s treasury particularly for the last six years of People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s rule in the country never received a notable fight by the APC Senator.
Recall the launch of Senator Dino Melaye’s published book on “corruption” had former First Lady Patience Jonathan in attendance. Mrs Jonathan only few days ago pleaded an out-of-court settlement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an ongoing corruption case in court against her.
The Melaye’s videoed statement in full:
“Mr. President, I read the content of a story and the Federal Government has sued me for misinformation and misleading the police. Mr. President, this, to me, came as a surprise in a civilized society that is governed by the rules of law.
“My life was attempted to be taken away April 14, 15, the year of the Lord 2017. Mr. President, I reported this case to the Nigerian Police and, naturally, the Police will ask you: “What are your suspects?” Because the kidnappers who came were chanting: “Sai Edward! Sai Taofiq!” Edward is the Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor. Taofiq is the Caretaker Chairman of Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
“Mr. President, I so stated this in my statement to the Nigerian Police. As a result of that information, they immediately moved to the residence of Alhaji Taofiq, where ammunitions were recovered immediately that morning.
“Mr. President, if naming suspects now becomes misinformation, I am wondering.
“Mr. President, the police swung into action; the Tactical Command of the Inspector-General of Police ten days after. They apprehended six out of the gang that came to kill me. Not only were they apprehended, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Police paraded them in a national press conference carried by NTA, AIT and Channels TV.
“Not only were they paraded, the spokesman of the Nigerian Police told Nigerians that all the riffles used….the ammunitions have been recovered by the police. Not only were they recovered but that confessional statements have been made by those who were directly involved and they also indicted the same Taofiq that I mentioned. So, Taofiq and these suspects spent three weeks with the police here in Abuja. Subsequently they were arraigned before Kogi State High Court.
“As I am speaking, Mr. President, I have been invited and my chief witness submission has been taken by the court. All their statements of confessions, the ammunitions, the vehicles they used for the operations, they used an ambulance, the ambulance as I speak is within the premises of the Kogi State High Court; all as exhibits including their confessional statements.
“Mr. President, a case that is still ongoing, a case where statements have been admitted as exhibits, the vehicle used has been admitted as exhibit, ammunitions involved are within the custody of the court admitted as exhibits.
“Suddenly the Police collaborated with the Attorney-General of the Federation and said I have misinformed the police; a case that has not been concluded where Edward and others will be arraigned; he was arrested, his statement taken and he was released on bail.
“Mr. President, you will recall that this same Edward Onoja I brought to this Senate in July that in a gathering of about 300 people he said openly that before the end of June that Dino Melaye is going to go down. He said before the end of June I am no longer going to be a Senator that is to say I am going to be dead.
“I brought that matter to this floor and the matter was referred to ethics and privileges I petitioned Nigerian Police, Edward was invited, they collected the tape. As I speak to you they have not prosecuted Edward on that matter. But me who is the victim of attempted assassinations, I am the one the Federal Government has arraigned for misinformation in a case that is still pending in court where all the confessional statements of the hired assassins have been admitted as exhibits in court, where the guns used have within the court premises as exhibits, where the ambulance used is within the court premises as exhibit.
“Mr. President, what type of democracy are we practicing if this arraignment is to weaken me, if this arraignment is to stop me from speaking the truth, if this arraignment is to stop me from criticising or talking about the maladministration, perfidy that is going on in Kogi State, or if this arraignment is to stop me from criticising the Federal Government. They have committed a compound mistake.
“I shall continue to speak, Mr. President, I shall continue to criticize every public officer including the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where he has gone wrong. Mr. President, I have conquered fear and I am not afraid of prison.
“The last administration (of Jonathan) arrested me 14 times. Abacha’s government detained me, Babangida’s government detained me. I am not afraid of the prison, it is built because of human beings. But we will continue to speak the truth not minding whose ox is gored. In an unjust society, silence is a crime. The battle to bring Nigeria back to track from these criminals in power is a battle of no retreat, no surrender. And I am ready to face the Federal Government on this matter. I will fight it with the last drop of my blood. No retreat, no surrender!”
