Opinion:
BY ‘WOLE OLADIPO
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state, and Senator Dino Melaye of Kogi state, are both similarly different, and differently similar- they are mutually exclusive, and interwoven- it will get clearer as we read on, please!
I never had any personal contact with both- but, I have written something about Wike, and none on Dino- an excerpt; ” Governor Wike is an astute politician, forthright, courageous, and a dogged political fighter…”.
Hence, the current exchange of words between the duo of Wike and Dino, presents the golden opportunity to equally write on Dino, for proper comparison!
Like many Nigerians, I could not, at a point, understand the reason(s) behind the Dino’s melodramatic appearances, pretences or seriousness, in his then official/physical encounters with the Nigerian police- and I believe many are yet to understand, but I have been able to understand, beyond and deeper than the mere entertaining/illusionary colouration, given by many concerned/unwary Nigerians!
When some people decided to write Dino off, upon being appointed as presidential spokesperson, I reminded them that His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, as a talent hunter, and discoverer, would have seen something good in Dino, beyond the ordinary- eventually, Dino, undoubtedly, lived up to the expectations of many, including his early traducers, by his diligently crowd pulling, delightfully hilarious and electrifying performances, throughout the PDP nationwide 2023 presidential campaigns.
Like so many others in his shoes, Dino’s assertive personality is often misunderstood…but to the discerning minds and deep thinkers…he often stands for the truth, and could die for justice, fairness and equity, even when he is not, directly affected or involved- this he openly and steadfastly demonstrated, throughout the National Assembly political travails of Senator Bukola Saraki, as Senate president (2015-2019).
In defence of the Nigerian masses, Dino was the first Nigerian to cry out, in the National Assembly, to let the world know that most of the criminal fulani marauders arrested for killing Nigerians, by the security agents, were being secretly released, without any prosecution. And this early exposure, unknown to many Nigerians, often responsible for Dino frequent police face off/melodramatic encounters.
Dino, as I observed, could die for a course of action, and could hardly be swayed by any ethno-religious sentiment, emotions, idiosyncrasies or material things, whenever his mind is made up – this he recently disclosed that despite the moral, physical, material and financial supports of Governor Wike towards his 2019 PDP Governorship primary, in Kogi State, he still followed his heart in supporting Atiku’s 2023 presidential bid, as the best, (even against his bossom friend, Senatori Bukola Saraki)- with his vigour and utmost loyalty, instead of blindly following Wike’s ethnocentric presidential ambition, and despite Wike’s 2019 political baits to him.
The duo- Wike and Dino are extroverts, and hyper actively engaged politicians of high standards. But, Dino is more principled and sincerely open hearted/minded person than Wike, in his dealings with fellow politicians, and Nigerian people, in general- And this I observed in some of my earlier write ups about Wike, as follows:
“His (Wike) premature removal of Prince Uche Secondus, (his brother) as the PDP National chairman, and the early orchestration for southern presidency, (hobnobbed with the ruling opposition southern APC Governors), were all mere political strategies, covertly employed by Wike, for his then hidden future 2023 presidential ambition, and to prevent the speculated PDP plans to reinvent the 2019 Atiku/Obi presidential candidacy magic wand in 2023….”
“Governor Wike, as a shrewd/smart political strategist and politician, in a political chess game of interests, can often cleverly turn the table against his political opponents….using media power strategy propaganda in things he, himself, is the culprit and apparently guilty of…” – Extracts from my article entitled “WIKE & ATIKU – THE BEGINNING OF THE END…OR THE END OF THE BEGINNING.”
*’Wole OLADIPO, journalist, public affairs analyst, and social commentator writes in from Ibadan, Oyo State.