Long experience will tell that the most beautiful castles in the world are those built in the sky. The imagination, that blissful canvas of limitless materials, can supply to the individual, all the tools of the trade that reality denies. So, dreams are dreamt and visions are proclaimed based on more than quixotic wishes that even beggars would be ashamed to make.
Thus is the fate of Dino Melaye, disputed senator representing Kogi West at the national assembly, and constant scourge of his state governor. Since the turn of the year, and especially after the 2019 elections, Dino had been trumpeted as one of those with the best chance of ousting the current Kogi governor Yahaya Bello and delivering the state to the PDP.
Amidst the throngs of praise singers and exuberant hailers who serenaded Dino with chants of “Excellency” and “Awaiting Governor” among other choice coinage, no song was as loud and with so much gusto like Dino himself. Already renowned for his musical mockeries of his state governor, perhaps Dino should have found an actual musician to make a viable governorship song for himself.

As it turned out, the promise – Dino as an incoming saviour to relieve the Kogi people from Bello’s alleged tyranny remains just that — a promise. Since he was roundly trounced at the PDP governorship primaries a few days back, Dino has been forced to leave the boxing ring before he got the chance to trade frantic blows with his nemesis on the biggest stage of them all.
In public, he remains his usual confrontational self, appealing, though without success, to the PDP tribunal to overturn the emergence of Musa Wada, younger brother of a former governor, Captain Idris Wada, as the PDP candidate in the November election. He later reinforced his claims of injustice by flatly turning down the position of Director General, Kogi State PDP Governorship Campaign Council, a post offered both in compensation for his loss and acknowledgement of his uncanny ability at whipping up sentiments.
To add insult to injury, his position in the senate is in jeopardy. A tribunal recently ruled his election unlawful after a challenge from the APC candidate Smart Adeyemi. The tribunal ordered fresh elections in Kogi West. Pending a successful appeal, Dino thus remains on the ropes. Missing out on the governorship is a big disappointment; losing his senatorial seat as well would be a crushing blow.
Credit: Thisday