House of Reps speaker Yakubu Dogara pays solidarity visit to Dino Melaye in hospital

HOUSE or Representatives speaker Hon Yakubu Dogara led a team of National Assembly leaders to pay a solidarity visit to Senator Dino Melaye who is recuperating at the National Hospital in Abuja where he is being detained pending a court appearance.

Senator Melaye, who represents Kogi West Senatorial District, is facing several charges including a criminal conspiracy to carry out communal killings. In what has been a long running battle with Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Senator Melaye recently survived a recall attempt and dramatically jumped out of a police vehicle why being transported into custody.

When his case came up in court last week, the presiding judge ordered that Senator Melaye be remanded in police custody until June 11 when the case will be heard again. However, given the fact that the senator suffered injuries while jumping out of the police van, the judge instructed that the inspector-general of police keep Senator Melaye in hospital pending his next arraignment.

In what has now become a battle of wits between the executive and the legislature, senato9rs and members of the House of Representatives have openly shown their solidarity with Senator Melaye. Yesterday, Hon Dogara accompanied by his deputy Yusuf Lasun, the deputy minority leader Binta Bello and other House of Representatives members visited Senator Melaye.

 Upon arrival at the hospital, they were received by former speaker of the House Hon Patricia Etteh, and the chief medical director Dr Jaf Momoh. During the visit, the speaker prayed that God grants Senator Melaye quick recovery.

Senator Melaye who is asthmatic, is receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of the Trauma Centre of the National Hospital. Apparently, he developed complications after he was tear-gassed by police officers conveying him to Lokoja, the Kogi State capital last week.