Dino Melaye attacked by Facebook friends

Mr Dino Melaye
| credits: File copy

A former member, House of Representatives, Dino Melaye, has come under heavy attack from his Facebook friends over his comments about the 2013 Democracy Day celebration.
Melaye had told his over 6,000 fans on Facebook that there was nothing to celebrate about Democracy Day in Nigeria. But, unlike the past, when his opinion about the polity was applauded on the social service, many of his fans did not agree with him.
He had said, “We have nothing to celebrate today being Democracy Day. Nigeria is sick, the midterm performance of Mr. President is a beautiful nonsense. We must wake up and ask questions on why we are where we are. Come out of your cocoon, fellow Nigerians, and let’s rescue our dear country from political demons and financial scavengers.”
One of the first set of comments on his Facebook wall was from Afam Chukwuwike, who argues that there is no difference between Melaye and those who  he has over time openly criticised on social media in the past.

While trying to prove a point that Melaye is not  on the side of the masses, as he claims to be on the social media, Chukwuwike challenged Melaye to prove that the bullet proof cars he cruises in around town as well as his mansions in Abuja and Kogi State were acquired before he joined politics.
Chukwuwike says, “The bullet proof cars, mansions in Abuja and Kogi State — did you have all these things before the advent of democracy, Mr. Dino Melaye? We understand your frustrations, having been pushed out of the PDP.”
Another friend of Melaye on the social network, Osita Opurum, says if he was serious with his claims that Democracy Day should not be celebrated by Nigerians, he should take a bold step by selling all the properties he acquired while he held sway as a member of the National Assembly and give the proceeds to the poor whose cause he claims to be championing.
“Dino has now become a social crusader because he lost his job in the House of Representatives. If you are serious, then sell all the properties you got from democracy as dividends and give it to charity. Then, I will take all of you serious,” Opurum notes.
One Jeff  Ikhinmwin explains that he would only take Melaye serious the day he removes the ‘Hon.’appellation from his profile both offline and on social media and finally strips himself of the title. According to him, many of those who crippled and milked the country dry are those parading themselves as honourables.
“Quietly remove the appellation from your name if you want us to take you seriously. You can’t be bearing the appellation of those who crippled this country and you want us take you seriously. It only shows you are one of them,’’ Ikhinmwin argues.
Corroborating  Ikhinmwin’s arguments, another fan of Melaye, Eki Matthew, notes that  as long as he continues to parade himself as an ‘honourable’ then “it is a case of thief accusing thief of stealing!”
Some of his Facebook friends, however commended him. Besides, responding to the fierce criticism, Melaye says  the agents of his enemies at the Presidential Villa  took over his fan page to attack him over his comment. He also shrugged off those who slammed him for driving posh cars saying ‘’a poor man cannot deliver a poor man.’’
He says, “It is unfortunate that rather than being objective and talking issues, all the Villa agents are attacking my person. I challenge any of you to carry out simple research on my activities in the National Assembly. I have grown beyond myopic and porous comments. The fight to salvage our dear country from these gerontocratic leaders is a battle of no retreat no surrender.
“All you hired goons, you and indeed PDP are yet to dig out just one corruption or indictment against me. Those hating because of my cars, you haven’t seen anything yet. A poor man cannot deliver a poor man. We shall not stop hitting on the walls of corruption. We shall overcome.