Dino Melaye faces uncertain future after Kogi West PDP says he is a political liability

SENATOR Dino Melaye is facing an uncertain political future after his local branch of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has stated that it is lukewarm about him joining them following his recent decision to dump the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Highly controversial and always in the news, Senator Melaye, who represents Kogi West Senatorial District, published a video last week in which he announced while singing and dancing, that he would leave the APC for the PDP. Over recent months, he has had ruining battles with the APC leadership and in one instance, he jumped out of a moving police vehicle taking him into custody.

In what appeared to be a final break with the APC, Senator Melaye was seen singing "O my home, PDP, when shall I see my home" last week. However, in a swift response, the PDP's Kogi West Elders’ Forum, has said it will vehemently reject any attempt to impose Senator Melaye as the sole senatorial candidate on the party in 2019.

Shaibu Momoh, the chairman of the forum, said that if Senator Melaye was allowed to contest in any free and fair election in the state now, the party would be defeated. Speaking in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital after the PDP met to discuss the matter, Mr Momoh said Senator Melaye will be a liability and not an asset to the party in the state.

“Melaye is seen as too controversial due to his unacceptable behaviour and the serious negative views of the public against him. He cannot win any election in a free and fair atmosphere and the PDP should therefore not gamble with him as a candidate for now.

“He needs a serious reformation period which PDP Kogi State do not have the luxury of time to dispense. The leadership of the PDP in the state under the two former governors Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, Captain Idris Wada, Senator Tunde Ogbeha Alhaji Musa Ahmadu and host of other critical stakeholders have been struggling to rebrand a PDP that can recapture power from an aggressive non-performing APC government in the state," Mr Momoh added.

Although Senator Melaye is yet to formally announce his defection from the APC, it is expected that he will officially dump the party soon. Given that the senator and Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello do not see eye to eye, he clearly has no future in the APC and is certainly not going to be returned as a senatorial candidate next year.

Mr Momoh added: “They have reconciled several prominent strong men and women who came back to the party and their re-entrance back to PDP is without any condition or concession but genuine. However, the imposition of a senatorial candidate will cause a major derailment and unimaginable crisis that the PDP may not overcome before the general election.

“Our critical leaders are on ground and they understand this great danger and trap, hence their rejection of this Dino imposition. Senator Dino Melaye is welcome to PDP as specified under the constitution of the party and he is free to aspire to any position of his choice but must take cognisance of existing mutual arrangement."

According to Mr Momoh, Senator Melaye will not be discriminated against in any form in the conduct of the affairs in the state. He added, however, that the senator should come into the party with genuine open mind and contribute meaningfully to growth of the PDP like any other senior member.