When Dino Melaye donned his familiar beret in the fashion of a ruffian and launched unprovoked verbal attacks on the immediate past Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom at the North Central Zonal meeting of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Abuja, we considered his action as just another exhibition of his well known character, and opted not to dignify him with a formal response.
However, moments later, Dino took to social media with glee and pomp over his “altercation with Ortom” in the mold of a thug who had just accomplished the mission of insulting a perceived opponent to the admiration of a principal. But why would anyone be surprised to see a man who could jump out of a moving vehicle in order to escape arrest put up such a conduct?
Despite spending years in the National Assembly, it is apparent that Dino still finds greater comfort and joy in the venal job of a mercenary and attack dog whose services are available for the highest bidder with zero room for loyalty and true friendship.
For someone who first came to public attention as a House of Representatives member and was suspended for taking part in a fight on the floor of the House during the move to impeach Patricia Etteh, the then Speaker, Dino only showcased his known credentials at the North Central meeting of PDP.
Most of the lawmakers Dino physically assaulted during his days in the National Assembly were members of the same PDP that he today claims to love.
Here is a man who in 2016, while he was a Senator under the All Progressives Congress, threatened to beat up a female colleague and rained insults on her during a session of the Senate,
A man who engaged in nearly 20 group and individual fights in the National Assembly and incurred no fewer than seven different suspensions lacks the moral compass to criticize anyone else over misconduct.
Dino needs to learn a few things:
He is a liability not only to PDP, but also to the good people of Kogi State, which is why the people rejected his bid to be their governor. In the last election, Dino could not even vote for himself. His rants and comedy often end up on social media. He makes no contributions to the party and instead drags its image to infamy with his acts of ignominy.
Dino has insulted almost every prominent member of the PDP, with the exception of only those who fund and benefit from his lifestyle of insobriety, belligerence and open attacks on perceived opponents.
The garrulous former Kogi Senator ought to have known that Chief Ortom has made selfless sacrifices to the PDP, having served as the State Secretary and Deputy Chairman of the party in Benue State, National Auditor of the party, Minister and Governor on the party’s platform. Chief Ortom was the Director of Administration and Logistics of the Goodluck/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organization in 2011. Dino may wish to recall that PDP won the presidential election of 2011 in which Ortom played a key role.
His Excellency Ortom was among the few Governors who stood by their people and defended them in the face of impunity and injustice orchestrated by the Buhari administration and the menace of killer herdsmen. He achieved the feat as a Governor on the platform of PDP.
The stand of His Excellency Ortom and his colleagues in the G-5 was clear before the 2023 elections that after eight years of the presidency in the north under President Muhammadu Buhari, it was only fair that the seat should rotate to the southern part of the country. Ortom and other members of the Integrity Group which also included the G-5 did not equivocate their stand on the issue of the Presidency moving to the south.
Chief Ortom’s position on the issue of the 2023 presidency makes him a patriot who loves the unity of this country founded on justice, equity and fairness.
Between Dino Melaye who supported a candidate from the north to take over from another northerner and Samuel Ortom who insisted that equity and justice must be done, who genuinely loves the PDP and wants to see the party live the true meaning of its creed as a political party for all Nigerians – ‘Power to the People’?
Dino ought to find for himself a dignifying vocation.
*Terver Akase is Media Aide to former Benue governor, Samuel Ortom