The senator raising a point of order on Wednesday for the first time after many weeks expressed gratitude to his colleagues, members of the Green Chamber (National House of Representatives), his constituents and the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for their supports.
“Specially, I appreciate the Peoples Democratic Party for making statement during my recall exercise and asking everyone to stay aback. Politics has been shown not to be individualistic but to be about issues and purpose. To the National Chairman and executives of PDP in Kogi State, I salute you.”
Melaye further asked the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to mandate the sergeant-at-arms to create a seat for him at the opposition wing of the chamber. He thereafter announced he would sit beside former Senate President David Mark pending when his new sit would be ready.
“I have a special request to you Mr President,” he said. “Because of the trauma I went through and I’m still going through, I want to seek your indulgence that you will call on the Sergeant-at-arms to look for a comfortable seat for me on this side of the divide (pointing to the opposition wing) because I am no longer comfortable sitting here. So, I want to ask the Senate President that you mandate the sergeant-at-arms tomorrow to look for a seat for me on this other divide of the chamber.
“Before you do that today, through the help of my walking stick I will take a comfortable seat close to Papa, General Senator David Mark pending when you get me a comfortable seat on this side.”
He then moved to the opposition side of the senate and sat beside Mark.
The scene created by the senator who many consider controversial was greeted by rowdiness among lawmakers at the senate floor. While the APC senators tried to prevent his move, the PDP senators welcomed him with open arms.
After that, Senate President Saraki granted his prayer to sit beside Senator Mark, adding that his request for a permanent sit at the opposition wing would be looked into.
Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, however opposed Melaye’s proposed move, saying that movement without proper allocation negates Order 56(3) of the Senate. He requested the Chief Whip to bring the senator back to the APC chamber.
“Senator Dino Melaye remains one of our senators of the APC stock. I sat there for eight years and I know how the seats there are. I have sat here for the last three years and I know the difference. We have the best seat to give him at this side. If there is any difficulty with his seat, we’ll find any other one for him.”
Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu however noted that Melaye’s action was due to his welfare and right to exercise his freedom, urging his APC colleagues to respect his decision.
The Senate Minority Leader, Godwill Akpabio, added that the movement is not about party allegiance, saying that the PDP is willing to accept any opposition senator who wishes to cross over to their wing.
“Where we are now is the Nigerian Senate. Whether to the left or the right. At any point in time that any senator on the left feels that his or her seat is not comfortable. He is welcomed here. I want to welcome Senator Dino here. We are the ones that should have complained, but we are not complaining. We must be our brothers’ keepers,” he said.
Senator Barau Jibrin in his own reaction said that the National Assembly is empowered to regulate it proceedings according to Section 60 of the Constitution, adding that the Chief Whip should return Melaye to his seat at the APC side until he is allocated another seat as he had requested.
“The order of the Senate clearly specifies that every senator shall sit on a seat that has been assigned to him by the Senate President. Therefore, the position canvassed by the Deputy Senate President does not hold here because it is against the Nigerian constitution.
“In this regard, the Senate Leader or the Chief Whip should as a matter of urgency, due to the health situation of Senator Dino, have a seat that is OK for him. Sitting in a seat different from what is assigned to him is against the constitution.”
Also, Olusola Adeyeye, the Chief Whip, in his own reaction urged Saraki to avoid setting a bad precedent by allowing the change of seat.
“The qualification of any member of the National Assembly is that he be a member of a political party. In the Senate, seats are assigned based on membership of a political party.
“We are setting a bad precedent. We are beginning to institutionalise chaos if we use any excuse to transfer any member across the aisle. On the basis of the constitution, I will take Dino across this place and any seat he wants, we will give to him.”
Senate President Saraki finally noted that Melaye did not mention that he was defecting to another party. He added that for Melaye to decamp officially, he would need to write officially to the Senate President and the letter would be read during the Senate plenary.
“I don’t think at any time in his contribution the issue of change of allegiance or party ever came up. It’s not an issue that has come up today at all. He talked about his state of mind and comfort. None of us has been through what he has been through neither do I think the rules have ever foresaw this kind of situation.
As part of our spirit of giving support, we will accommodate his request and make sure that seat is comfortable so that you can come back.”
Even at that, Senator Kabir Marafa, an APC member from Zamfara State, spoke against Saraki’s ruling, urging him to reverse his position.
“Mr President, I respect your rulings and I agree with your rulings,” he said. “However, on this matter, we are setting a bad precedent.”
He was however ruled out of order by Saraki.
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