by Dyepkazah Shibayan
Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, says he may soon be arrested over his comments, but his colleagues should note that prisons are built for human beings and not animals.
Melaye, who has been involved in different controversies of late, said this on Friday while querying the decision of the executive to retain Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), after the senate refused to confirm.
Magu has been rejected twice by the upper legislative chamber, which cited a report of the Department of State Services (DSS) report that indicted the anti-graft czar of corruption.
Charging his colleagues not to allow selective application of the country’s laws, Melaye said President Muhammadu Buhari recognises the powers of the senate to confirm nominees.
He said Buhari had replaced candidates rejected by the senate, but wondered why Magu’s case is different.
“I may be arrested immediately after this programme… prison is built for people and not for animals,” he said.
“Posterity will not forgive us when we keep silent in the face of lies and persecution.
“The persecution we went through in the first two years must not continue in the second half. Mr President in leading us in this second half you must put on your seat belt; it is dangerous to drive without a seat belt.
“Where we need to speak the truth as senators, we must speak the truth no matter whose ox is gored. We must begin to identify that there is a uniform law in the federal republic of Nigeria.
“No longer shall we allow the selective application of the law of the land. What is good for Abubakar is good for Nnamdi. Mr President, we have passed some people on the floor of this senate and those people that we have also disqualified by confirmation have been replaced by Mr President.
“That means that the president of the federal republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari recognises the powers of the senate to confirm.
“Why is Magu still in office? Mr President the truth is the truth, we should not have selective application of the rule of law; one law for everybody. We must as a senate we must preserve the integrity of this institution.”
The 8th senate is marking its second anniversary.