Senator Dino Melaye, APC-Kogi West, and Hon. Adams Jagaba representing APC in Kacha/Kagarko in Kaduna, have defected to People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Embattled Melaye announced his defection at the plenary on Wednesday, causing rowdy session.
Jagaba’s defection was contained in a letter read by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara. He had on May 7 announced his defection in Kaduna.
Their defection of Melaye came barely 24 hours after Prince Dayo Adeyeye, one of the aspirants for the governorship ticket of PDP in Ekiti State, dumped the party to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In preparation for his defection, Melaye raised a point of order and thanked his colleagues, members of the House of Representatives, his constituents and the Nigerian populace for standing by him during his travails with the Senate.
He thanked the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for their support.
Melaye’s travail started when he refusal to appear before the police to answer to accusations by some arrested suspects, who alleged that the senator supplied them with arms and ammunition.
The senator had had persistently refused to appear before the police on invitation, but was later arrest and jumped out of the police vehicle that was taking him to Lokoja to appear.
The Senator landed in the National Hospital after jumping out of a moving police vehicle on Tuesday, April 24.
The police confirmed that Melaye was arrested for his pending offences of criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms.
He was granted bail in the sum of N90 million by the Wuse Magistrates Court.
He was re-arrested after perfecting the bail.
According to the police, the investigation team re-arrested Melaye on May 2, 2018 after his arraignment at Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse for the pending offences of Criminal Conspiracy and Unlawful Possession of Prohibited Firearms already filed in a Court of competent jurisdiction in Lokoja for which he will be arraigned without further delay.
Mr. Jimoh Moshood, Force PRO, said that Melaye was arraigned at the Wuse Magistrates court for criminal conspiracy, causing damage to government property, attempted suicide and escape from lawful custody.
Melaye’s arraignment according to the police, was subsequent to his discharge from the National Hospital after he was confirmed fit for trial.
Thanks for coming. https://t.co/2QBnCQI2jg
— Jagaba Adams Jagaba (@AdamsJagaba) May 7, 2018
Melaye was also arraigned before a Lokoja Chief magistrates’ Court. The lawmaker is currently on bail.
Jagaba, who had earlier in the month defected to PDP, is currently having a running battle with Kaduna State Governor, Mr. Nasir El-Refuai and his former party, APC. The official announcement of his defection did not come as a surprise.
He announced his defection in his twitter handle on May 7. He defected at a ceremony that held at Zonkwa in Southern Kaduna, but was officially announced on Wednesday.
