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Order the Release of Dino Melaye, Reps Candidate Appeals to Buhari, IG

Published

5 years ago

January 11, 2019

Eric

A House of Representatives candidate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Blessing Agbomhere, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari’ and the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to release the Senator Dino Melaye.

The House of Representatives hopeful, who intends to represent Estako Edo Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, said it is unlawful to continue to detain someone who has not been found guilty of any offence, and even deny him medication.

Aghomhere believes that Melaye will win his election and should be allowed freedom to campaign.

Below is detailed text of the appeal:

A PASSIONATE APPEAL TO PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI AND THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE TO RELEASE SEN. DINO MELAYE FROM POLICE CUSTODY AS DINO WILL BE RE-ELECTED WHETHER DETAINED, DEAD OR ALIVE

This is to prevail on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, to order the Inspector General Police, to release Senator Dino Melaye, a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing the good people of Kogi West, from Police custody.

There is no gainsaying the fact that Senator Dino Melaye is the most honest, factual and vibrant member of the National Assembly and has maintained these sterling qualities which he has always placed above party and self, but for the sustenance of our democracy.

Senator Dino is being unlawfully detained in the Police custody over a mere allegation of suspected or perceived thugs shooting and injuring a Police officer.

Can anyone be vicariously liable for an offence allegedly committed by persons being suspected or perceived to be his thugs, when they are not even known to him under the Nigerian law?

Senator Dino Melaye has severally denied having any thug or thugs, and if any body or group actually assaulted any Police officer in the presence of the Senator, as being alleged, it is the duty of the Police to launch a total manhunt on such alleged thugs, and not Senator Dino, whom no clear evidence has linked to any thug.

The continuous detention of Senator Melaye is against the spirit of natural justice, denying him access to good medicare to attend to his deteriorating health is a violation of our constitution, while denying the candidate of a political party freedom of movement to campaign for his or her election is rigging and a rape of our democracy.

The presumption of innocence is a constitutional right of every person as provided in Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which states that “Every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed to be innocent until he is proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction”. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act also holds this law sacrosanct. Denying Senator Dino Melaye access to medicare or granting him bail to attend to his health is a fundamental breach of his freedom to life, freedom of movement and a blatant disrespect for the Constitution of Nigeria which holds all Nigerians together.

The position of the law as it pertains to arrest and detention, irrespective of the offence committed is that, the Police has the right to detain an individual for up to 24hours before being charged with a crime or get the person released, while the person can be held back for a maximum of 96hours if he is being suspected of a serious crime, e. g murder, but in this case, he is not being suspected directly or indirectly for murder, but for a mere allegation, and this can be considered a witch-hurt and decor to prevent him from being re-elected as the Kogi West People have vowed to re-elect Dino Melaye whether dead or alive.

The Nigerian society is rife with the believe that the Inspector General of Police is acting out a prepared script by the Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to detain him in Police custody in order to prevent him from carrying out his campaigns ahead of the forthcoming elections, thereby denying him of his franchise. This act is against the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, particularly, Article 25, which recognises that every citizen has the right “to vote and be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors…”

In the light of the above I urge Mr. President to show respect for the Constitution and Laws of the Federation of Nigerian and direct the Inspector General of Police to release Senator Dino Melaye from Police custody to enable him attend to his deteriorating health condition and subsequently campaign for his re-election ahead of the forthcoming elections.

Dr. Blessing Agbomhere
PDP House of Representatives Candidate
Etsako-Edo Federal Constituency

Featured

PDP Retains Demagum As Acting National Chairman

Published

2 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Eric

The acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, has survived attempts to remove him from office.

In the lead-up to today’s National Executive Committee meeting, the issue of whether Damagum should maintain his position or be substituted has been the focal point of discussions among party officials.

Formerly serving as the PDP National Deputy Chairman (North), Damagum assumed the position of acting National Chairman after the court suspended the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

The court’s decision followed a request by a PDP member, Terhide Utaan, triggered by a prior vote of no confidence passed on Ayu by his ward executives in Igyorov ward, Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.

Recently, 60 members of the House of Representatives called for Damagum’s ouster and called for the appointment of a substantive chairman from the North Central region.

However, shortly after this announcement, members of the House minority caucus, led by Kingsley Chinda, distanced themselves from the group, dismissing it as an unrecognised entity within the parliament.

The PDP Caucus meeting in the House of Representatives on Tuesday ended in discord, with lawmakers divided between those supporting Damagum’s continuation and those opposing it.

However, the primary goal of the pre-NEC meeting, which aimed to endorse Damagum with a vote of confidence by lawmakers aligned with FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, faced hurdles and did not proceed as intended.

Recall that, on Wednesday, the PDP’s National Working Committee expressed full support for Damagum.

Nevertheless, after its caucus meeting on Wednesday, the North Central Zone of the party unanimously decided that the zone should nominate the next national chairman of the party following Ayu’s removal.

Speaking to reporters after the National Caucus meeting in the early hours of Thursday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed that Damagum will continue to serve as the acting national chairman of the party until another NEC meeting after today’s session.

The PDP National Caucus is a crucial assembly of party stakeholders that convenes before the NEC meeting and sets the tone for every major decision to be made at the NEC meeting.

In many instances, when the National Caucus reach a consensus on matters, the NEC simply approves it, but when there is disagreement, other members of the NEC will vote either for or against the issue in question.

Ologunagba disclosed that the PDP National Caucus endorsed Damagum’s continued acting role to allow for broader consultations.

The Punch

Featured

Cubana Chief Priest Arraigned, Granted N10m Bail

Published

19 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Eric

Instagram celebrity, Pascal Okechukwu aka Cubana Chief Priest, on Wednesday, pleaded not guilty for alleged Naira abuse.

He pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The socialite was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Lagos before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on Wednesday.

The anti-graft commission filed a three-count charge against Cubana Chief Priest accused of abusing the naira at a social event, an act said to be contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

After pleading not guilty, the court granted him bail in the sum of N10million with two responsible sureties in like sum, who must be gainfully employed with the federal or state government and not less than grade level 16.

The sureties, the court emphasized, should have landed property and the document must be verified by the court.

Cubana Chief Priest is also to submit his travel passport to the custody of the court.

The bail conditions must be perfected within seven days but in the meantime he was released to his lawyer who must give an undertaken to produce him later. Failure to do so, he will be remanded in correctional facility.

The charge filed on April 4 by EFFC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the Commission, are as follows:

Count 1: “That you, Okechukwu Pascal on 13th February, 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

Count 2: “That you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

Count 3: “That you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

Meanwhile, the defendant also informed the court of his pending application to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to hear the charge.

Justice Ogundare has adjourned till May 2nd to hear the application

This is coming days after the EFCC arraigned controversial cross-dresser Idris Okuneye better known as Bobrisky on similar charges for which he was sentenced to a six-month jail term.

Featured

EFCC Charges Cubana Chief Priest to Court over Naira Abuse

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2024

Eric

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a three-count charge against Instagram celebrity, Pascal Okechukwu aka Cubana Chief Priest, for allegedly spraying and tampering with the Naira at a social event, in violation of the provisions of Central Bank Act of 2007.

Cubana Chief Priest will be arraigned on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, before Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

Reports say the charge against Okechukwu was filed on April 4, 2024 by EFFC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the Commission.

In Count 1, it was alleged, “that you, Okechukwu Pascal on 13th Feb. 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

In count 2, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

In Count 3, it was alleged, “that you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

This is coming days after the EFCC secured the conviction controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky, on similar charges. He was subsequently sentenced to six months imprisonment without an option of fine.