Hide your shameless face, Yahaya Bello not your mate, Activist tells Dino

By, Mark Akudu, Kogi

A human rights researcher and anti-corruption advocate, Sylvanus Okpe, has tackled the 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kogi State, Dino Melaye, over his recent mockery of the travails of a former governor of the state, Yahaya Bello.

Okpe, who expressed anger over Melaye’s constant display of alleged “unexplained wealth” on social media, amid widespread poverty, advised him to hide his face whenever Nigerians are talking about integrity issues.

Speaking in a two minutes, 50 seconds video clip that has now gone viral, the rights activist said Melaye should not compare himself with the former governor, adding that his likes were the ones misleading youths with their constant, needless display of “unexplained wealth” on social media.

“Dino mocks poor Nigerian youths, flaunts wealth. He doesn’t help anybody but all the kinds of flashy cars in Nigeria, Dino has. He is the one that has made Nigerian youths to believe that politicians are thieves,” he said.

He recalled how the former legislator allegedly jumped from a police van when he was arrested a few years ago and was taken on a stretcher for a court proceeding to escape trial.

Okpe wondered the moral right the former legislator had to mock ex-Governor Bello, who he said voluntarily submitted himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and even gave his crowd of supporters and loved ones strength in the court room.

Finding Dino’s mockery of Bello distasteful and unwarranted, Okpe stressed that the former lawmaker was not fit to even pass any comment whenever issues of public interest were being discussed, judging by his alleged romance with convicted fraudsters.

“If everybody is talking, Dino Melaye? Dino is not in the same class with Yahaya Bello. Dino cannot talk politically where Yahaya Bello is talking. Dino was in the Senate; Dino was in the House of Representatives.

“What were his achievements? He was saying he would impregnate a fellow senator then. He denigrates women at every given provocation,” the Anti-corruption crusader added.