It is a thing of great hypocrisy
In this 2012 interview with Kayode Ogundamisi, Senator Dino Melaye reveals how he used social media to call for wide subsidy protests in 2012 by “heating up the polity” in order to blackmail Nigerian Labour groups to join the fight.
He spoke of being detained by security officials as a result of that protest because of the bravery he demonstrated by being vocal on social media in order to fight for the interests of the people.
This was at a time the Jonathan administration was struggling hard to convince Nigerians on the need to remove subsidy for national interest as the subsidy bill became unsustainable which has led to the economic crisis the nation is bearing now.
Leading officials in the Buhari administration are also in favour of subsidy removal. And the current crippling nationwide fuel scarcity is as a result of the subsidy regime.
Later that year hear what former Minister of the Economy, Dr. Okonjo Iweala said about Melaye:
Earlier today (7th November, 2012), a disreputable former member of the House of Representatives, Mr Dino Melaye brought a handful of demonstrators to the Federal Ministry of Finance who conducted themselves in an unruly manner.
We have it on good authority that Mr Melaye’s group was sponsored by some of the indicted oil barons who are currently being investigated and prosecuted for subsidy fraud. Their allegation to wrong subsidy payments made by the Ministry is a mere ruse to conceal their true motives.
It is important to note that the Federal Ministry of Finance does not pay any contractors directly. The relevant ministries do. So this allegation by Mr Melaye and his group is completely wrong and without foundation.
Also, whenever its statutory mandate requires that it makes any payments, the Ministry follows strict payment procedures and only pays when there is appropriate documentation from relevant agencies.
The Melaye demonstration was ostensibly to call for the resignation of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance who is well known for fighting the fraudulent oil barons whose names were published by the Federal Ministry of Finance for various breaches of the subsidy regime.
Nigerians are, of course, not deceived by the antics of Mr Melaye who has no known pedigree as a civil society activist or even a reputation for honour or common decency.
When asked by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Danladi Kifasi to submit a written statement, Mr Melaye said that they did not come with any. This gives an indication of the level of seriousness of the effort.
Curiously, Mr Melaye and his cohorts, in making their frivolous allegations, did not mention the fact that the Federal Ministry of Finance under the leadership of Dr Okonjo-Iweala took the unprecedented step of publishing the names of 25 companies which were investigated by the Aig-Imoukhuede Committee for various breaches of the subsidy regime.
They also neglected to say that many of the indicted marketers are currently undergoing interrogation and prosecution. As a direct result of the Ministry’s efforts against corruption in the subsidy regime and tighter procedures, the nation has saved billions of Naira that would otherwise have gone to corrupt marketers.
The Federal Ministry of Finance stands steadfast in its resolve to fight against corruption and manage the finances of the country in the best interest of the Nigerian people.
Fast forward to December 2015, now Mr. Melaye seems to have achieved what he always wanted, to win a political position again and have power. Now he wants to wield that power against the people.
Nigerians have to be careful with the ilk they prop up to be heros. Social media needs to be self-regulated to ensure men like Melaye never rise again. He and his colleagues want to squash the heart of the very medium that brought men like themselves to power. Despite their shady and rickety history.
Look at this video and see Mr. Melaye discuss how he rose to power on the back of social media campaigns laced with propaganda to heat up the polity, and oust an administration.