Is he the right man for the job??

"Meet Hon { Otunba Dino Melaye } Senatorial Candidate
for Kogi West Federal Senatorial Zone {HQ... Kabba
Oweland} Mega Imole 2015 with 15 Points!
1. The Dino Melaye They Do Not Know – By Ayobami
Oyalowo The activist is not the man who says the river
is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river.
- Ross Perot On several occasions, I have listened to
young men/ women banter, argue, agree or disagree
on who Dino Melaye really is. Many have slagged him, insulted him or plainly hated on him, but curiously,
nobody has yet to produce any proof or evidence as to
any act of corruption against him, neither has he been
indicted nor charged to court or smeared in any act
bordering on corruption or stealing. This piece is not
written to paint Dino as a saint or a sinner.
2. It is simply my humble attempt to educate a few
people about the Otunba Dino Melaye that I know. A
man who divides opinion. He is not one to be ignored.
You simply love him or loathe him. There is never a
middle ground with him. With Dino, what you see is
what you get. Dino was born about four decades ago in Kano to a middle class family. His father worked with a
decent private company and was able to cater for his
children until an unfortunate incident occurred. He lost
his job, therefore he couldn’t meet up with most
financial obligations associated with taking care of six
children. he had to withdraw his kids from a private school to a public school. Things got more difficult and
the young Dino had to sell ‘kunu zaki’, a local beverage
and cold water in the evenings in between classes, in
order to help to augment the family income He
struggled until he got admitted into Ahmadu Bello
University (ABU) Zaria and the activist in Dino came to the fore. Throughout his stay as a student of ABU, he
was a thorn in the flesh of the authorities. Matters came
to a head when he sued the school authority.
3. He was also arrested by the Abacha government
and was locked up in Yola Prison for 11 months without
any formal charges. He was in cell 4 where he was a
next door neighbor to the former president Olusegun
Obasanjo who was in cell
5. He was mercilessly
tortured by the infamous Sergeant Rogers and hung to dry. His problems with the Abacha goons began when
he rejected an offer to serve as the arrow head of the
’2million youths’; an infamous body which Daniel Kanu
later headed. His crime was that instead of accepting
the government’s offer, he leaked the plot to the late
Pa Abraham Adesanya and that angered the ruling military junta. It took a lot for him to graduate from the
University after his eventual release, without any
formal charges. He later went into private business and
due to acquaintances he had forged in the past, he was
able to cash in on available opportunities and made
some good money. Many people assume he became rich by working for Government. Nothing could be
farther from the truth.
4. I would have gone into a few details of his business
dealings but we are keeping all that for his memoirs
later in life. He got elected into the Federal House of
Representatives in 2007 on the platform of the PDP and
represented the Kabba/ Ijumu constituency of Kogi
state. But it must be stated that he was constantly at loggerheads with the party’s rank and file. Several
times he refused to back down on national issues and
tow the “party line” preferring to do what he believed
was the right thing.
5. Little wonder he was refused a second term on his
Party’s platform. While in the House of Representatives,
he was the Chairman, house committee on information
and national orientation, a social crusader, human
rights activist, public analyst and a politician. He moved
a lot of motions. 36 of those motions were hinged on anti-corruption.
6. It is on record that Dino moved the highest number
of motions in the history of the National Assembly.
7. Famous among them was his motion that led to the
revocation of the sale of Ajaokuta steel and Delta Steel
Aladja. He also moved a motion against President
Umaru Yar’adua when the latter borrowed 300 billion
from the world bank. The money was later returned
due to Dino’s motion and subsequent pressure by other Honorable members of the federal house of reps. He
also moved a motion on the state of education in
Nigeria where he argued that all the children of
political office holders should attend public schools.
8. He conducted a research and found out that over
N400billion was spent for medical trips abroad for
political office holders. He advocated that there should
be a stop to sponsoring political officers on medical trips
abroad and the money should rather be used for
developing our hospitals. Dino also sponsored a bill for the establishment of the national cardio thoracic
centers in the six geological zones of Nigeria as there is
currently none in Nigeria.He was motivated to sponsor
the bill when he visited Ghana, and found out that
Ghana with a population of 18million people was
building their 2nd national cadio thorasic center and he also discovered that 34 Nigerian cardiologists were at
the time working in the cardio thoracic center in
Ghana.
9. In the history of the National Assembly, he was the
1st to resign his chairmanship of a house committee
because he couldn’t work with a leadership he deemed
was corrupt. As committee chairman, he also
recovered billions from failed contractors to the
government’s account. Who can forget Dino’s motion on the 2nd runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International airport Abuja, which was awarded to
Julius Berger at a cost of 64 billion Naira after due
process and approval of the Federal Executive Council?
As a result of his motion, the President set up a
committee to reduce the contract to 49 billion Naira. The indefatigable Melaye took the matter back to the
floor and comparatively argued that the contract on a
25% profit margin will not cost more than 8 billion
Naira. He was able to convince his colleagues in the
house and the President eventually cancelled the
contract. Melaye again moved a motion on the floor of the house on the airport-Kubwa expressway contract
awarded to Julius Berger(JB) at the cost of N257 billion.
10. His motion caused the MD of JB to argue that some
billions of Naira found on the contract document was as
a result of the printer’s devil. Melaye yet again saved
Nigeria 100 billion from that contract. Those who
thought Melaye just began activism, should cast their
minds back to the appearance of Melaye alongside Pat Utomi with Frank Olise on Tuesday live, an NTA
programme in 2001. His role in the the cancellation of
the 5000 note, remains indelible. Melaye, despite
pressure from the NEC of the PDP to drop charges
against Dimeji Bankole, refused to do so until justice
was done. That eventually cost him his position and the right to contest under the platform of the PDP. He was
the only NASS member who returned excess money
paid to him and the receipt is available for posterity.
11. If Dino had compromised his position with the PDP
heirachy, the Bankole case wouldn’t have become
public fodder and he would still remain in the House of
Reps, defrauding the State. In January, he started the
protest that eventually enveloped the entire country.
He got arrested and was detained alongside Boko Haram suspects. Otunba Dino Melaye’s Foundation
known as ‘Imole de foundation’ for widows and
orphans, has been running for more than 10years now,
and he is set to commission his new orphanage in 2013. 12. In January 2012, after the occupy Nigeria protests,
Dino Melaye rejected an offer of cash from the federal
government, running into about N800 million. There
are three other men alive who accompanied him to the
hotel where the offer was made. He has also been
offered various cabinet and parastatal headship. He has also been offered more cash by the Jonathan led
government. All of this were ostensibly done to keep
him quiet, but he has steadfastly rejected juicy offers.
In fact, I was privy to some phone conversations and
physical meetings. I will challenge the government to
deny this.
13. This is by no means intended to present Dino as a
saint. No, not at all. But who amongst us can cast the
first stone? Dino and my humble self grew up together
struggling as boys way back in Kano. I am astonished
that so many on twitter insult, denigrate or question his
pedigree. I wrote this piece not to exonerate or beatify Dino. This has been written to educate many who
wrongly assume he became an “activist” because he
was no longer allowed to return to the House of Reps.
Dino is just an ordinary Nigerian who has shown his
preponderance for good governance and social justice.
And like Ross Perot, quoted above, an activist is not the man who says, but he who does.
14. He has, unlike most “twitter tigers” put his money
where his mouth is. While they merely rave and rant,
Dino goes the extra mile to not only expose corruption
but to also actively lead demonstrations against
unpopular government policies. This is by no means
exhaustive, but it sums up the Otunba Dino Melaye that I know.
15. Femi Fani-Kayode on Dino Melaye
Permit me to begin this contribution by quoting the
insightful and powerful words of Hon. Dino Melaye who
is undoubtedly one of the rising stars and stronger
voices of the new and up and coming generation of
political leaders in Nigeria......... Next Levels I know where I'm going and I know the truth, and I
don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to
be what I want. — with Dino Melaye"

Dino is just a loser. He can never win.

.

I am more than 100% sure he cannot win

bowee4u: I am more than 100% sure he cannot win

Dont you dare bet on that...


Who you think say dey vote for Senate elections?!

Nigerians wey get sense only vote in two elections;

1. Governorship Election..

2. Presidential Elections..


The remaining offices are left to riff raffs.. Thats why I am afraid thet Dino might be able to win if he does his runs well..

Even I dont know the name of the Senator, nor Rep, nor Assembly man representing my area.. I dont even know what senetorial district I belong to..

Mr Aboki:


Dont you dare bet on that...


Who you think say dey vote for Senate elections?!

Nigerians wey get sense only vote in two elections;

1. Governorship Election..

2. Presidential Elections..


The remaining offices are left to riff raffs.. Thats why I am afraid thet Dino might be able to win if he does his runs well..

Even I dont know the name of the Senator, nor Rep, nor Assembly man representing my area.. I dont even know what senetorial district I belong to..

lmfao

I got to know it was that short man ngige that represents me in the senate just last xmas....i dont even know the rep member ....naija i hail thee

Very handsome man!

Another APC 'progressive'.

mgbeketoto: Very handsome man!

If that im yellow pawpaw gal catch you ehnnn... My hand no dey ooo.

bowee4u: I am more than 100% sure he cannot win

your reason(s)? Senator Dino Melaye, how does it sound?

Dino shouldn't just waste his time and resources.He can't contest against Sen.Smart Adeyemi and win either from the same party or from another platform.

Has he forgotten the last PDP Senatorial primaries where even Ibro's candidate,Ochocho(can't remember precisely) failed.Smart Adeyemi 'outsmart' the gov's candidate;there was enough scuffles and fight/court cases to annull Smart's primary election.Don't let me remind u everything.

If Smart wants to contest for the governorship election 2day in Kogi,none can stop him and he's gonna win.

So,Mr Dino,u can pls rest ur nerves,keep ur resources and continue ur Human Right activism.

I know the Op is being sponsored by Dino to arouse the electorates' minds online.

ebenezer4o2: Dino shouldn't just waste his time and resources.He can't contest against Sen.Smart Adeyemi and win either from the same party or from another platform.

Has he forgotten the last PDP Senatorial primaries where even Ibro's candidate,Ochocho(can't remember precisely) failed.Smart Adeyemi 'outsmart' the gov's candidate;there was enough scuffles and fight/court cases to annull Smart's primary election.Don't let me remind u everything.

If Smart wants to contest for the governorship election 2day in Kogi,none can stop him and he's gonna win.

So,Mr Dino,u can pls rest ur nerves,keep ur resources and continue ur Human Right activism.

I know the Op is being sponsored by Dino to arouse the electorates' minds online.

much as I believe smart adeyemi has done a good job in the senate,I believe dino will do even better.the people of that district are quite lucky to have two people with proven pedigree jostling to represent them