Only an Okun Governor Can Truly Unite Okun People, Says Dino Melaye
By Ayodele Sunday
A former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and legal practitioner, Senator Dino Melaye, has declared that the most effective platform for uniting the people of Okunland is for an Okun person to become Governor of Kogi State.
Melaye made the assertion while speaking to journalists at the sideline of the 2026 Okun Unity Dialogue, organised by the Okun Development Initiative (ODI) at the Conference Centre of the Armed Forces Officers’ Mess and Suites, Asokoro, Abuja.
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The former lawmaker said Okun people must move beyond what he described as symbolic unity and work towards achieving political power capable of addressing the challenges confronting the people.
According to him, producing an Okun Governor remains critical to the unity and collective advancement of the people, stressing that anything short of this would amount to merely “playing to the gallery.”
Melaye also raised concerns over the security situation in Kogi State, questioning why insecurity appears to have disproportionately affected parts of Kogi West and Kogi East while Kogi Central, according to him, has remained relatively insulated from the menace.
He argued that the political configuration of the state and the location of political power should be examined in understanding the security challenges confronting different parts of Kogi.
The former Senator urged Okun people to collectively confront what he described as the menace of bad governance, stressing that the people must develop the courage and political will to demand accountability and good leadership.
He called on political leaders, traditional rulers, youths, professionals and other stakeholders to close ranks and work towards a common political and developmental agenda for Okunland.
Melaye maintained that genuine unity must translate into collective action, political consciousness and a determination to secure leadership that would adequately represent the interests and aspirations of the people.
The Okun Unity Dialogue attracted prominent Okun leaders, traditional rulers, politicians, community leaders and professionals, who deliberated on the political, security and developmental challenges facing the people.
Democracy Newsline Newspaper September 3, 2026
