No amount of intimidation, threat can silence Me – Melaye

Chairman Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senator Dino Melaye, has said that no amount of intimidation or threat by the Federal government would deter him from criticising the Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government on areas that it failed to deliver on its promises to citizens of this country.

Melaye who was standing on Order 43 of Senate Rule on personal explanation on the floor of the Senate yesterday said that his planned arraignment by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN), for allegedly misleading the Nigeria Police in a case of alleged assassination attempt on his life, will not stop him from constructively criticising the Federal Government whenever the need arises.

Recall that the Federal Government through the AGF and the Minister of Justice, Malami, had on Sunday announced plan to arraign Melaye on Thursday, March 1, 2018 for allegedly giving false information to the Police and allegedly framing the Chief of Staff to the Kogi State governor, Edward Onoja, on the failed attempt on his life.

He noted that when the failed attempt on his life was made in 2017 at his country home in Kogi State, the Police naturally asked him who and who were the suspects, to which he gave the names of those who were apparently after his life given their previous utterances and the Police subsequently made some arrests and guns were recovered from the suspect.

“If this arraignment is to stop me from criticising the Federal Government, they have committed a capital compound mistake. I shall continue to speak, I shall continue to ask questions, I shall continue to criticise any public officer including the President of Nigeria where he has gone wrong.

“I have conquered fear and I am not afraid of the prison. The last administration arrested me 14 times. The Abacha and Babangida governments detained me. I am not afraid of the prison, it is built because of human beings, but we will continue to speak the truth not minding whose ox is gored.

“In an unjust society, silence is a crime. The battle to bring Nigeria back on track from these criminals in power is a battle of no retreat no surrender and I am ready to face the Federal Government on this matter, I will fight it with the last drop of my blood, no retreat no surrender,” Melaye said.