Melaye says he's happy to be missing from party's event because it's a 'joke'

Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West, APC) appeared to condemn the national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) when he took to social media to express his happiness at missing it.

The senator took to his Instagram account (@dinomelaye) on Friday, June 23, 2018 to post about how happy he is to be away from the country today which happens to be when the party is conducting its long-awaited national convention which he appeared to call a 'joke'.

He posted, "Happy to be away from the joke going on in Naija today."

The APC national convention, taking place at Eagle Square in Abuja, has been embroiled in controversy especially in light of the parallel congresses that were conducted during the party's state congresses as well as complaints about the imposition of national executives.

Melaye has been heavily critical of the party and recently slammed its leadership for allowing the presidency to control it and turning it into a lifeless party.

The lawmaker is away in the United States supposedly to attend to his deteriorating health after a Chief Magistrate's Court in Abuja allowed him to take leave from his trial where he has been charged with criminal conspiracy, causing damage to government property, attempted suicide and escape from lawful custody.

He's expected to be back before July 8.

Melaye vs APC and Presidency

The senator has had a troubled past few months with the party as he's completely fallen out with Kogi governor, Yahaya Bello who is a close ally of President Muhammadu Buhari. Melaye believes his strong criticism of Bello and the federal government is how he has ended up with three criminal cases and a couple of failed assassination attempts on his life.

The outspoken lawmaker is a major critic of the party and has publicly criticised its conduct many times.

During an interview on Channels Television on June 8, 2018, he described the APC as a sick party that may have a problem with Nigerians.

He said, "I will not run away from the fact that the APC is sick; and it's not only sick, but equally suffers from what I call a dreadful continental abnormality. There's a need for amelioration. Whether there is still time for that to happen I can't tell, but there's no doubt that the APC is sick."

During another interview in April 2018, he accused the party of failing to fulfill its promises to Nigerians because it is disorganised. He further said the party may be in grave danger if it fails to implement its manifesto before the 2019 general elections.

He said, "So far, APC has not taken charge in implementing the manifesto they promised Nigerians. The party is not organised or showing capacity and capability.

"I do hope that in 2019, what we sold to Nigerians is the manifesto and the ideology of the party, but the party has taken the backseat.

"In 2018, I do expect that the party will take her rightful place in pushing government to implement the manifestos that was sold to the people. If we don't do that, there's a grave danger."

The senator may well be on his way out of the party as he fueled speculations of defection when he made a request to the Senate President Bukola Saraki to assign him a seat on the side occupied by senators of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the upper legislative chamber of the national assembly. He said he feels more comfortable there than with senators of his own party.

He has failed to confirm that he'll recontest for his senatorial seat on the platform of the APC, noting that he couldn't say for certain.