Love him or hate him but you can’t ignore him. There are some people with nuisance value and the embattled senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye, is one of them.
He heeded the appeal by ‘commonsense’ senator, Ben Murray-Bruce and resumed plenary last week. Recall that Melaye was forced out of legislative duty for over a month after he was arrested and allegedly humiliated by the police.
His appearance in Senate was not without the usual drama. The ‘Aje ku iya ni oje’ Crooner arranged a dramatic mise-en-scène when he walked into the chamber with a neck brace and walking stick. However, after he informed his colleagues during plenary that he was no longer comfortable sitting on the row of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and requested to sit on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) row, the controversial senator was aided by six obviously excited PDP senators to his new seat. The opposition lawmakers included Ben Murray-Bruce, Foster Ogola, Danjuma La’ah, Samuel Anyanwu, Obinna Ogba and Bassey Akpan.
It then begs the question: if Melaye walked into the chamber and initially sat at the APC row unaided, why was he assisted by six hefty men to his new seat? The dramatist personae were merely acting a script.
Like other Nigerian politicians, legislators have a penchant for drama. And on a day proceedings are aired live on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), lawmakers know that most officials in the Presidency are glued to the station to watch live proceedings.
Also, the word ‘Technical’ has assumed prominence in the nation’s political environment.
From ‘technically-defeated’ Boko Haram to President Muhammadu Buhari’s ‘techncial stopover’ in London while returning from the United States of America, the latest is the ‘technical defection’ of Melaye from APC to PDP.
Ahead of Monday’s meeting of the defunct new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) bloc in the APC with President Muhammadu Buhari, the action of Melaye who is also a member of the group was aimed at negotiating from a position of strength.
And with the ‘protection’ he received from Senate President Bukola Saraki who is also a member of the group, the stage is now set for the mother of all defections in the present administration, should negotiation break down.
Meanwhile, it was jubilation for #NotTooYoungtoRun campaigners when President Buhari signed the ‘#NotTooYoungToRun bill’ into law. Recall how angry campaigners protested and barricaded the National Assembly main gate last year over fears that the clause had been expunged from the constitution amendment exercise.
The law which alters relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution reduces the age qualification for some elective positions in the country.
Prior to the amendment, Section 65 (1) of the Constitution required 35 years for Senate and 30 years for House of Representatives; Section 106 (b) provided 30 years for House of Assembly even as Section 131 (b) required 40 years for President. In like manner, Section 177 (b) provided for 35 years for Governor.
But the new amendment lowers the constitutional age limits for the office of the President from 40 to 35 years; House of Representatives from 30 to 25 and House of Assembly from 30 to 25. However, the age limits for senators and governors were both retained at the age of 35 years.
Only three state assemblies rejected the bill when it got to them for approval. They include: Lagos, Kano and Zamfara State legislatures. Ironically, the sponsor of the law, Tony Nwulu represents Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency of Lagos State.
No doubt, the initiative will open a new vista for young Nigerians contesting for elective offices.
Notwithstanding the immense benefits, the alteration of the constitution poses another serious challenge for youths aspiring for political offices.
Vying for political positions in the country is left for rich individuals due to the huge amount of money involved in preparation for elective offices. For a candidate to win election in this part of the world, he needs to have deep pocket. Money has long dominated our elections, and the problem is worsening. Cases abound of wealthy individuals who sell their properties just to contest for elective offices.
Some of the campaign expenditures consist of cost of organising political rallies, printing of campaign posters, leaflets, t-shirts and fez caps, purchase and branding of campaign vehicles as well as television, radio, newspaper, magazine, online and billboard advertisements among others.
In other words, this could promote another form of godfatherism, as young aspirants who lack the financial war chest would become willing tools in the hands of godfathers and moneybags politicians.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
