Kogi: What Dino Melaye Said About Being Deputy Governor

Senator Dino Melaye (PDP-Kogi West) has denied reports that he wanted to serve as the deputy governor to former governor of the state Captain Idris Wada.

Concise News reports that the controversial lawmaker had said that his ambition to run for Kogi governorship election was borne out of agitation, clarion call and passion from people of the state.

In a statement on Thursday by his media aide, Gideon Ayodele, the senator said that the information was meant stop the emergence of Melaye as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the September 3 governorship primary.

“Capt. Idris Wada lost the last election as a sitting governor and it makes no sense that Dino Melaye, a man with better idea and clearer vision, will queue behind such an aspirant,” the statement read in part.

Concise News reports that Melaye, while obtaining his nomination and expression of interest forms at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja on July 5, said that there was dire need of a competent leader to recover Kogi from insecurity, unemployment, nonpayment of salaries and pension as well as the depleted economy.

The lawmaker pledged to revive all the ministries, departments and agencies in the state and restore the hope of the people.

“We will look at tapping the available of over 200 mineral resources in Kogi. We will look at the environment, agriculture, we will tap into mining,” he said.

“We will look at education that is the bedrock of our people that has completely collapsed. Our children have spent more time at home than in school in the last four years.

“Our workers, elders, pensioners are dying for not being able to pay for their daily drugs. Many are hypertensive and diabetic but they cannot service these ailments because the government has refused to pay salaries and pensions.”