A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former senator, Dino Melaye, has expressed confidence that Nigeria’s opposition parties will overcome their differences and form a formidable alliance capable of defeating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
Melaye, a prominent figure in the emerging opposition coalition, said discussions among opposition political parties and key political actors were ongoing and would eventually produce a broad-based alliance ahead of the presidential election.
He made the remarks during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, insisting that the opposition was making progress in its efforts to work together despite differences among the various political parties and political leaders.
According to him, the discussions were not limited to members of the ADC but involved several opposition figures across the country.
“I want to let you know that the opposition parties are talking and working. Even today, Peter Obi spoke here in Port Harcourt and said the talks are ongoing and he is part of it,” Melaye said.
He added that he had personally engaged with former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, whom he said was also open to discussions on the possibility of opposition parties working together.
“I personally had an interaction with Donald Duke, who is also willing to have a discussion on the opposition coming together,” he said.
Melaye expressed optimism that the negotiations would soon produce a workable arrangement, although he acknowledged that not every opposition party or politician might eventually join the alliance.
“By the grace of God, we will have a headway shortly. Discussions are ongoing, and the opposition will work together. We may not get 100 per cent of everybody on board, but the majority of the opposition will come together and send Tinubu and the APC packing,” he declared.
The ADC chieftain went further to predict that the political fortunes of the APC would change significantly before the 2027 election.
“You can take that from me: their days are numbered,” he said.
Melaye dismisses APC’s political structure
Melaye also played down the strength of the APC’s political machinery, despite the ruling party’s control of the Federal Government and its network of governors, lawmakers and political structures across the country.
He argued that political structures and access to government resources would not necessarily translate into electoral victory, insisting that the electorate would ultimately determine the outcome of the 2027 election.
According to him, Nigerians were increasingly dissatisfied with the Tinubu administration because of economic hardship, hunger and insecurity.
He maintained that the widespread grievances among citizens would make it difficult for the APC to persuade voters to renew its mandate.
“All that will amount to nothing because the Nigerian people have already concluded who they will vote for. They have demonstrated their reservations about the APC-led government,” he said.
Melaye claimed that many Nigerians were waiting for the opportunity to express their dissatisfaction through the ballot box.
“The hunger in the land, the insecurity—we don’t even need to campaign. People are just waiting to go out there and vote out the APC,” he added.
He also questioned whether APC governors, particularly in the northern part of the country, would be willing to campaign aggressively for Tinubu amid what he described as growing public dissatisfaction.
“Let the president be the chairman of the campaign, the spokesperson, and the director of strategy; all will amount to nothing. The governors are not sincere with him,” Melaye alleged.
He further claimed that the President was aware of the political challenges confronting his administration and suggested that some of the ruling party’s recent political activities were attempts to discourage opposition politicians from joining forces.
“The president is getting intelligence reports and knows he is on his way out. All these are acts of desperation to scare those who might want to work with the opposition,” he said.
ADC banking on voters
Speaking on the ADC’s preparations for the 2027 election, Melaye said the party was relying primarily on Nigerians rather than government officials or the political machinery available to the ruling party.
He claimed that the ADC and its allies had already begun mobilising supporters across the country and were prepared for the next presidential election.
“While Tinubu is depending on his ministers and government functionaries, we are depending on the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, the opposition had been monitoring public sentiment across the country and was confident that dissatisfaction with the government would translate into electoral support.
“We have mobilized the people, and if the election were to take place tomorrow, by 3:00 PM, Tinubu would be out of the Villa,” Melaye declared.
He said the opposition was aware of what he described as the mood of Nigerians, pointing to widespread disenchantment, disillusionment and economic hardship.
“We know what the people are saying. We can feel the pulse, the disenchantment, the disillusionment, and the pain of the people across every nook and cranny of this country,” he said.
Osun election as precedent
Melaye also cited the recent Osun State governorship election as an example of why he believes the APC’s political structure should not be taken as a guarantee of victory.
He argued that the presence of senior APC officials, governors and other political heavyweights during the election did not automatically translate into victory for the party.
“The election is about the people, not the bureaucracy involved in managing the election,” he said.
He further dismissed the ruling party’s early mobilisation efforts as neither strategic nor advantageous, arguing that similar efforts had failed to produce the expected result in Osun.
“There is no advantage, and there’s nothing strategic about it. The Senate President was in Osun, many governors were in Osun, and at the end of the day, all that amounted to a beautiful nonsense,” Melaye said.
He predicted that the same pattern would be repeated during the 2027 general elections.
“That is what will be repeated in the general elections,” he added.
Melaye’s comments come amid intensified political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections, with opposition parties and political figures exploring possible alliances to challenge the APC and the Tinubu administration.
