Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye who left the country on the weekend in a flight for his life has denied reports that he bolted away for good.
There was a report Saturday that Melaye fled Nigeria, and would not be returning any time until 2019 when new government probably takes office in Kogi and Abuja.
But the embattled senator said he had no reason to flee the country. He accused SaharaReporters of spreading blackmail about him.
Part of the report stated that Melaye also asked Senate President Bukola Saraki and other senators to fight for him or risk going down with him.
According to the platform, the lawmakers held a meeting Saturday afternoon to discuss the threat, while slating another for later in the day.
Melaye has debunked all these.
“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,’ said Melaye said in a new press release.
“The lies in the SaharaReporters’ so-called news report is nothing but to cause serious disharmony in the senate and among united majority senators, who are resolute in defending democracy and its institutions no matter whose ox is gored.”
Before he travelled out, Melaye had petitioned IGP Ibrahim Idris, the UN, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International. Transparency International, and four other countries.
He alleged political persecution and plan by the Kogi Police Command and the state government to kill him “extra-judicially”.
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 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.”
It was against the perceived witch-hunt Melaye is seeking Saraki’s and the Senate support.
The SaharaReporters story stated a source that claimed he overheard Melaye passing information to Saraki for his support–or he would go public with how much has been spent to keep the Senate president in office.
The source said the Kogi senator is trying also to make certain senators paint his ordeal like ‘persecution’ indeed–to the upper house.
Melaye, the report said, wants the Senate to force the police to withdraw the charges of robbery slapped on him.
But the senator rejected the suggestion that he should appear in the Senate and move a motion, saying he would be arrested and handcuffed by the police.
Meetings are already going on to consider the options.
On Saturday some senators met at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja to discuss the threat issued by Melaye in case he does not get their support.
Another meeting held that Saturday night to discuss how to counter the Melaye threat–something they actually dread because the senator has raked up some muck on the Senate leaders.
The FCT Senate Committee chairman actually needs all the help he can get now.
He has been swamped in a lot of controversies lately.
An appeal court just ordered him to go face a recall he fought for nine months in court.
There are also allegations of perjury and gun-running still pending against him.