Featured

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

Published

7 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

Tinubu Nominates Oyedele As Minister of State for Finance, Moves Anite-Uzoka to Budget Ministry

Published

2 days ago

March 3, 2026

Eric

A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga, has announced that “President Bola Tinubu has nominated Taiwo Oyedele as the minister of state for finance, replacing Doris Anite-Uzoka.

“Mrs Anite-Uzoka will now move to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, as the Minister of State, her third portfolio in the administration.

“President Tinubu has today conveyed the nomination of Mr Oyedele to the Senate for confirmation in a letter to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

“Until President Tinubu nominated him as a minister, Mr Oyedele from Ikaram, Akoko, Ondo State, was the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, which overhauled Nigeria’s tax system.

“Mr Oyedele, 50, is an economist, accountant and public policy expert.

“He attended Yaba College of Technology, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in accountancy and finance. He attended Oxford Brookes University and earned a BSc in applied accounting.

“He also completed executive education programmes at the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and the Harvard Kennedy School.

“Mr Oyedele spent 22 years of his working career at PwC, joining in 2001 and rising to become the Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader.

“Mr Oyedele is also a professor at Babcock University in Ogun State and a visiting scholar at the Lagos Business School.”

Featured

Defection: Atiku’s Son, Adamu, Resigns As Adamawa Commissioner

Published

2 days ago

March 3, 2026

Eric

Adamu Abubakar, the first son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has resigned as Adamawa State’s commissioner for works and energy development, days after Governor Ahmadu Fintiri defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

Abubakar’s resignation letter, dated 2 March 2026, was addressed to the governor through the Secretary to the State Government. He gave no reason for his departure.

The timing is pointed. Fintiri announced his defection to the APC in a statewide broadcast last Friday, saying his cabinet and the PDP’s state structure had moved with him. Within 24 hours, 22 commissioners and special advisers publicly announced they were following suit. Abubakar, whose father remains one of the PDP’s most prominent national figures, was not among them.

In a statement issued Monday night, Abubakar’s media aide Abdulaziz Jauro said the former commissioner thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve and pledged continued loyalty to the administration’s developmental agenda. He also expressed gratitude to his father “for granting him the moral support and blessing to serve the people of Adamawa State” — a line that, read in context, suggests Atiku was consulted on the decision.

Abubakar said his resignation was not a withdrawal from public life. “This does not mark the end of his commitment to public service,” the statement read, “but rather the beginning of new avenues for developmental collaboration.”

The resignation leaves unresolved the question of whether it reflects a political break with the governor over his defection or a personal decision unconnected to the broader party realignment now reshaping Adamawa’s political landscape.

Featured

DSS Nabs Man over Assassination Attempt on Peter Obi

Published

2 days ago

March 3, 2026

Eric

Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has detained a man in connection with the recent attack and alleged assassination threats targeting Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

According to AIT, the shooting incident took place on February 24, 2026, in Benin City, Edo State, during a political gathering attended by Obi and several figures from the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The meeting was hosted by former APC National Chairman, John Oyegun. Gunmen reportedly opened fire at the venue, causing panic and forcing attendees to disperse for safety.

According to security sources, shortly after the attack, an individual identified as Udeme Monday Stephen allegedly took to social media claiming responsibility and issuing additional threats against Obi, warning of further violence.

Intelligence officials reportedly initiated swift investigations, employing digital tracing and forensic tools that led to the arrest of the 26-year-old suspect in Rivers State. He is said to be a teacher at a private secondary school in the Eliozu area of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.

The suspect remains in DSS custody and is expected to face prosecution. The agency reiterated its commitment to responding to credible threats and safeguarding lives and national interests without bias.