Senator Dino Melaye, APC-Kogi West, may have defected to People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Dino Melaye announced his preference for a seat on the side of the senators of the opposition PDP, an indication of defection at the plenary on Wednesday, causing rowdy session.
He caused the commotion after weeks of being away from the Senate chamber. Melaye resumed plenary and asked to be moved from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) side of the chamber to the opposition. He sought Senate President Bukola Saraki’s permission to leave his allotted seat and move to the side of PDP members at the Senate chamber.
He specifically asked that he wants to sit beside the former Senate President, David Mark, an indication of carpet crossing. According to Senator Melaye, his reason for wanting a change of seat is because his present seat is no longer comfortable after his ordeal with the police and his health issues. But the lawmakers from the ruling APC kicked against the move by Senator Melaye, arguing that his action was against the constitution.
Meanwhile, the opposition lawmakers, welcomed the change of seat by Senator Dino Melaye. In preparation for his change of seats, Melaye raised a point of order and thanked his colleagues, members of the House of Representatives, his constituents and the Nigerian populace for standing by him during his travails with the Senate. He thanked the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for their support.
Melaye’s travail started when he refused to appear before the police to answer to accusations by some arrested suspects, who alleged that the senator supplied them with arms and ammunition. The senator had had persistently refused to appear before the police on invitation, but was later arrested and jumped out of the police vehicle that was taking him to Lokoja on Tuesday, April 24.
