By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Senator Representing Kogi West Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye on Wednesday at the floor of the Senate, gave a speech that rattled the All Progressives Congress senators but eulogized the opposition Peoples Democratic Party senators and its leadership and gave them something to celebrate.
Dino who was attending plenary the first time after his ordeal with Police and failed recall process, came through Order 14 of the senate rule and said:
“My respected colleagues, Dino Melaye (Kogi West). Mr. President, I draw very holy inspiration this morning from Order 14 of the rules of the Nigerian senate. Mr. President, if I have your nod I want to read:
“Privileges and rights enjoyed by the senate collectively and by the members of the senate individually conferred by the legislative houses powers and privileges Act, cap 208 laws of the federation 1990 and other status of our practice precedent, usage and customs.
“Mr. President, My Very respected colleagues, I am in your midst today alive by the grace of God. Mr. President, I am the manifestation of the declaration that there is a God. I want to start from manifesting that though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil.
“Having appreciated God for His love, kindness and protection over my soul, I want to specially acknowledge the Nigerian senate under the capable leadership of the irremovable president of the Nigerian senate. I want to thank you for your love, for your concern for speaking for me and for defending the course of democracy. Mr President, my respected colleagues. I doff my hat!
“Mr. President, I will not also conclude my appreciation without appreciating the indefatigable and indomitable Speaker of the House of Representatives, and indeed the House of Representatives members. I thank them immensely; I thank them sincerely for showing that an injury to one is an injury to all.
“Mr. President, I particularly thank my constituents- men of honour, women of honour, children, old and young of Kogi district not only for showing love or praying for me, but for defending my mandate that when I couldn’t help myself, when I could not fight for myself, when I couldn’t speak for myself, they spoke for me, they fought for me, and they stood by me, especially during the failed recall exercise orchestrated by the governor of Kogi State. I thank them immensely and i appreciate them and I pray the almighty God will continue to protect everyone from that senatorial district.
“I indeed thank Kogites, I thank Kogites and specially appreciate the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for making statements during my recall exercise . Politics has been shown not be individualistic but to be about issues and purpose. So to the national Chairman of the PDP and indeed the executive of the party in Kogi State, I salute you!
“I want to thank Nigerians in general for showing me uncommon love, or showing me that they can stand by the truth at all times, I thank Nigerians and I cannot stop thanking Nigerians. When I went through the social media, when I saw the kind of support I got from Nigerians, then I am propelled, encouraged to continue to do only those things that will promote the integrity and prosperity of this country. Mr. President, I thank every one of us, I want to say I am alive because God defended me and I will not take your time.
“I want to say that the Nigerian Police attempted to kill me twice- first through the application of a chemical substance and secondly with an injection, they actually came with an injection to inject me but God intervened and to Him alone be the glory forever and ever.
And that is why I quote this part of the Holy Book that he who seats in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty and would say of the Lord He is my refuge. I thank the Almighty God for being alive and want to promise Nigerians that because of the love I have seen, the magnitude and intensity of affection I have seen, I will not derail, I will stand by the truth, no amount of intimidate, harassment, arrest, name-calling , blackmail, planted allegation will deter my attention from championing this course.
The battle to salvage this country from financial scavengers and economic cankerworm to me is a battle of no retreat no surrender. We must salvage this country together; we have no other country to call our own but this country.
So I want to say as I get better and my voice gets better, it will become louder and I shall not cease to continue to ask questions where necessary. Mr. President, once again I thank you for your show of love and comradeship , thank you for everything you have done Mr. President and I say in your own life Mr President and that of my colleagues, afflictions shall not arise the second time.
But I want to conclude by saying that we must not allow this to discourage us or get disenchanted, we must be boldened to ask questions. The executive cannot cow the legislature, we must be bold at all times to speak the truth, like I always say,” if you speak the truth you die, if you lie you die, it’s better to speak the truth and die”. So I thank you! I thank you!! I thank you!!!
I have a special request to you Mr. President, that because of the trauma I went through and am still going through, I want to seek your indulgence, that you would call the Sergeant-at-Arm to look for a comfortable seat for me on this side of the divide because I am no longer comfortable sitting here. So I want to ask Mr. President, that you mandate the Sergeant-at-arm tomorrow to look for a seat for me on this other divide of the chamber and that before you do that today, through the help of my walking stick, I will take a comfortable seat close to “PAPA General Senator David Mark” pending when you get me a comfortable seat on this side. I want to thank you so as I say no retreat no sudrrender.