Senator Dino Melaye, the former Kogi West representative, has responded to his suspension by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The suspension was announced on Friday, September 13, by the party’s Ayetoro/Iluagba Ward 1 in Kogi State, citing alleged anti-party activities.

Melaye, a known ally of the PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticized the party’s acting national chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, in a video posted on his social media. Melaye accused Damagum of being the source of the party’s internal crisis, referring to him as someone whose “belly is his God,” implying that the chairman’s actions are driven by self-interest.

The suspension came after Damagum claimed that Melaye was involved in internal conflicts within the PDP. Damagum also alleged that Melaye, despite running in the 2023 Kogi state governorship election, did not vote for himself. In response, Melaye dismissed the chairman’s accusations, describing himself metaphorically as “air,” and stating, “they don’t suspend air,” suggesting that he sees the suspension as ineffective or meaningless.