Melaye speaks from abroad: I didn’t flee Nigeria

Senator representing Kogi West at the National Assembly, Dino Melaye, has denied fleeing Nigeria over his recent travails.
Melaye said he had no reason to flee the country, accusing SaharaReporters, which published the report of spearheading blackmail against him.
Relying on sources, SaharaReporters on Saturday reported that the lawmaker had fled the country and would not return until there is a change of government.
According to the report, Melaye also warned the senate President, Bukola Saraki, and other senators to fight for him, failure of which he would bring down at least 30 senators.
The report stated that the lawmakers held a meeting Saturday afternoon to discuss the threat, while slating another for later in the day.
Melaye, in a statement sent to Premium Times on Saturday, however, said the report was not true.
He, however, did not give details of his engagement outside the country, having confirmed in a letter on Friday that he was abroad.
He also did not state when he plans to return to Nigeria.
“For the records, I did not flee Nigeria and have no reason to flee my country leaving behind my family as the online paper wants Nigerians to believe.
My attention was drawn to their lies this night, hence this public statement, lest the unsuspecting members of the public and my supporters believe the lies by Omoyele Sowore as directed by his new paymasters,” he said.
He said the report was meant to cause disharmony within thesenate.
Earlier on Friday, in a five-page letter written by his counsel, Rickey Tarfa, Melaye asked the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to intervene in the rough relationship he is having with the police officers.
The lawmaker said he was ready to submit himself to the police on the condition that he is investigated by police officers from Abuja, and not Kogi.
In his Saturday statement, he attacked the police again, saying the force never invited him for questioning.
In the letter, Melaye said Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi had perfected plans to “arrest and detain him, and then murder him in prison while he is awaiting trial”.

 

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