Mixed reactions have trailed the arrest of Senator Melaye and the reported siege to his Abuja residence by security agencies.While spokesman of the Senate, Aliyu Sabi Abdullah, could not be reached at this moment, as his three valid telephone numbers were not available, Mr. Frank Tietie, who claimed to be a legal adviser to Melaye, told newsmen, that the siege was illegal. He protested the harassment and called on the IGP to withdraw his men and officers.
“The case is currently in court. Nigeria is not a Banana Republic and we need to state this fact. The police is insisting that Melaye must come to Kogi State and he has said that his life is not safe there.
“Why can’t they just follow the rule law? Why are they harassing a citizen who is also a serving senator in this country? What they are doing here is illegal and we condemn it,” he said.
Senator Ben Murray-Bruce who reacted via his twitter handle, condemned the police action. He described Melaye as one of the few voices who speak truth to power, saying no amount of persecution could intimidate him.
“I call for the immediate and unconditional release of Dino Melaye. He is one of the few voices left that still speaks truth to power. Nigeria needs men like that and the Dino I know will not be cowed by arrest or persecution. Dino Melaye played a major role in bringing this government into being. It will be very unfortunate if the same government that he fought for turns around to be the one fighting him. Let this be a lesson for anyone who is fighting for their second term after you are no longer useful,” Murray-Bruce said.
Senator Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Central also reacted by posting a cryptic message on his facebook page: “Third Reich Symptoms” in reference to the Nazist government’s show of power.
For the spokesman of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, the police-Melaye stand-off is not good for the country’s image.
“What was he accused of? What did he do? This country is a joke. Senator Omo-Agege got a court injunction ordering that he should not be arrested, but we don’t know what Dino Melaye did and he was not only arrested but the Police laid siege to his house. Nigeria is becoming a joke on a daily basis. Unfortunately, he was one of the apostles of change and this is the change that they brought. The change he helped bring is now turning around to bite him.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in its reaction through its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan charged the police to confine itself to provisions of the constitution in the discharge of its duties.
But the Lagos State chairman of the opposition party, Moshood Salvador, said he was not surprised, as he said Nigerians should brace up for more harassment and witch-hunt.
“We condemn Dino’s arrest in its entirety but remember that the normal practice of this administration is witch-hunting. This is a government that is intolerant of opposition and any contrary opinion. Nigerians should be prepared to see more of this every day. But I advise that no matter what happens, no one should be intimidated. In a democracy, people should be allowed to speak out like Dino Melaye is speaking out and not be hounded.”
Also reacting, the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) and the Center for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), said what should agitate Nigerians is whether due process was followed and not that a serving senator was arrested.
They both noted that though the 1999 constitution (as amended) conferred immunity from arrest on some categories of public officers, a senator was not among the category of officers offered immunity.
Executive Chairman of CLO, Ibuchukwu Ezike said: “I don’t think there is anything wrong in arresting anybody provided that due process was followed. If due process was not followed, then it is unlawful, condemnable and not acceptable. But if the due process was followed then we should watch out until he appears in court which has the final say.”
However, Executive Chairman CACOL, Debo Adeniran wondered if the arrest at the airport was not meant to embarrass Melaye, especially as he has been attending Senate sessions all the while he was declared wanted.
“If they invited him and he didn’t show up, they should have waited for him at the gate of the National Assembly. If anybody commits a crime, he is supposed to be arrested and prosecuted immediately. If Dino has committed any crime, it should be made public and the police should be sure they have concluded their investigations so that they can immediately prosecute him. We should be told the offence he was arrested for.”
On Twitter, Shehu Bashir @shehufaa advised Melaye to stop playing to the gallery and defend allegations against him.
“Stop this social media ranting and go get a lawyer to defend you in the court of law; a supposed lawmaker like you should not be desecrating our justice system. Face the prosecution and defend the allegations to prove your innocence. End of story,” Bashir tweeted.
-Sun
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