Former Kogi lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye, has declared that anyone contesting under a coalition platform including himself can defeat President Bola Tinubu in a free and fair election.
Melaye made the assertion during an interview on Mic On Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye and uploaded on Sunday, where he delivered a sweeping criticism of the current administration.
“My brother, anybody among those interested in presidency in African Democratic Congress would do one million times better than Tinubu. They can never be a worse president than Tinubu,” he said.
Projecting confidence in his own electoral strength, Melaye stated that he could personally unseat the President if the process is credible.
“Me, Dino Melaye. Let’s go on a free and fair election,” he said, adding, “I will beat him flat in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Despite his bold claim, the former senator clarified that his immediate focus is not necessarily personal ambition but the collective objective of removing the current administration from power.
“My own for now is that we must send Tinubu away. Whoever emerges from consensus or from a primary, I will support,” he said.
Melaye also alleged that the President may be reluctant to allow a transparent electoral process.
“Let him allow a free and fair contest. And if he doesn’t allow it, we will make him conduct our election. Because he doesn’t want election. He wants to be Kabiyesi. He wants to be Igwe,” he added.
On coalition dynamics, he dismissed speculations about joint tickets, insisting that the overriding concern is national interest.
“I am not interested in any joint ticket or non-joint ticket… we are only interested in rescuing this country,” he said.
The former lawmaker further raised concerns about governance, pointing to what he described as the influence of non-elected individuals, particularly the President’s son, Seyi Tinubu.
“My son will not interfere with governance. My son will not summon DGs of parastatals and agencies of government and ministers,” he said.
He also referenced public commentary by Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka while criticising the visibility of Seyi Tinubu in political activities.
“Even our respected Wole Soyinka complained about him. You have seen the City Boy Movement and what they are doing,” he said, questioning the role of non-elected actors in governance.
Melaye maintained that opposition figures are already aligning strategies ahead of future elections, stressing that unity remains central to their goal of unseating the current administration.
