By Usman Okai Austin
At the dawn of every new day, the major news heralding from the sunrise is either Dino Melaye versus Edward Onoja, who is the Chief of Staff to the Kogi Governor or Dino Melaye versus Governor Yahaya Bello.
The entire drama is becoming childish just as it’s tiring and serious minded individuals desirous of the advancement of society are no longer interested. This is largely because whereas the real business of governance is left undone in Kogi State, the basic tenets of corporate leadership and effective governance have been abandoned.
It gets clearer by the day that perhaps the main area of core competency of the Kogi State Government is how to demystify Senator Dino Melaye and not how to take Kogi State to the next level by harnessing the resources of the state towards achieving economic prosperity.
Senator Melaiye is not a magician just as he hasn’t metaphysical powers. He is a citizen of the state, who is merely exercising his right to measure standards of leadership provided by a constitutional government which is in itself a civic responsibility. It is therefore an act of folly on the part of the Kogi State government to continue in attempts to silence him especially via uncivilized methods.
Ordinarily, attempting to silence an individual from expressing an opinion is wrong but since the Kogi State is resolute, I shall make very simple recommendations on how Senator Dino Melaye can be silenced. The easiest way out is via infrastructure and public utilities as well as engaging him constructively along the lines of the business of governance. Melaiye though not perfect has boldly written his name in the pages of history as one of the best Senators of the 8th Senate; which comes with prestige and an increasing level of acceptability across the nation.
Whereas He has made himself relevant, Yahaya Bello is struggling to survive the consequences of a dwindling reputation which is causing Him to loose both relevance and popularity.
Senator Dino Melaye has busied himself building roads through the SDGs window. He has been involved in rural electrification projects, provision of water, amongst others but can anyone say with proof that Governor Yahaya Bello has been involved in any of these?
Currently, the level of acceptance of Senator Dino Melaye enjoys across Nigeria is increasing daily on the strength of his intervention in key areas of governance. Unfortunately, a rudderless government that lacks the simplest of strategy is busy spending resources, giving him more and more attention.
The best bet for Governor Bello now is to see Senator Melaiye as an institution worthy of emulation. If at all there should be a competition, it must be in terms of seriously engaging in the business of governance and putting an immediate end to this shenenegian and macabre dance The workers want their salaries paid on time, the pensioners want their pension timely, the rural dwellers want motor-able roads, the villagers want drinkable water and students want steady academic calendars just as patients want a functional Hospitals
Today my Governor is at war with every member of the National Assembly except one.
A Governor should be a leader to all and NOT an enemy to all .
The victims of Ogane Nigu and Agbenema attacks can be reached out to by concern Kogites because the State government has refused to build IDP camp for them as they are hovering around for helps from relatives and friends.
It is time, the governor engage DINO through competition in infrastructural development. Kogites are really tired of the battle of who is who in Kogi State
Okay Austin writes in from Abuja.
The Article is an opinion piece and does not represent the views of Per Second News.
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