Senator Dino Melaye, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and a lawyer, says he is confident that opposition parties will eventually unite to challenge and defeat President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election, even as a separate gathering of opposition leaders in Port Harcourt exposed how far apart the parties remain.
Melaye made his comments in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, saying ongoing talks among opposition figures would eventually produce a coalition capable of beating the APC.
“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. I personally had an interaction with Donald Duke, who is also willing to have a discussion on the opposition coming together,” he said.
Melaye Says Nigerians Have Already Decided Against The APC
Melaye dismissed the APC’s nationwide network of governors, legislators and party structures as an advantage, arguing that Nigerians have already made up their minds to vote out the ruling party over hunger and insecurity.
“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% of everybody on board, but the majority of the opposition will come together and send Tinubu and the APC packing. You can take that from me: their days are numbered,” he said.
He alleged that some governors are reluctant to openly campaign for Tinubu.
“Can any governor in the North go and campaign and tell the people to vote for Tinubu?” he asked, adding that the president was aware, through intelligence reports, that his re-election bid was in trouble.
On the ADC’s preparedness for 2027, Melaye said the party is depending on grassroots public support rather than government officials and political structures.
He alleged the party had already mobilised voters nationwide and argued that dissatisfaction with the Tinubu administration would translate into defeat for the APC at the polls.
“While Tinubu is depending on his ministers and government functionaries, we are depending on the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Melaye said, pointing to the outcome of the recent Osun State governorship election as evidence that early political mobilisation by the ruling party does not guarantee electoral success.
Coalition Talks Falter At NBA Conference In Port Harcourt
While Melaye expressed optimism, a separate session at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, showed that the leading opposition figures themselves have struggled to reach consensus.
ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate Peter Obi, and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC) all admitted they had been unable to compromise or make sacrifices ahead of next year’s poll.
Their appearance came at a session titled “Politics, People and Nigeria’s Future,” where a dramatic exchange broke out between Atiku’s running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, who represented the former vice president, and Sowore.
For more than a year, attempts by opposition leaders to form a united front against the APC have stalled because none of the arrowheads has been willing to drop long-standing presidential ambitions.
Atiku and Obi, who briefly worked together in the ADC, eventually parted ways over irreconcilable differences, while candidates from smaller parties, including the Labour Party (LP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Youth Peoples Party (YPP), have also pulled out of coalition talks.
A so-called Group of 100 (G100), led by ADC chieftain Salihu Lukman, is still trying to bring opposition leaders together behind a single candidate, though a planned August 18 meeting failed to hold and has been rescheduled for August 31.
Amaechi Says Politicians Refuse To Step Aside For One Another
Amaechi, a former Rivers State governor and two-time minister of transportation, said the coalition project has struggled because almost every politician involved has personal ambitions and is unwilling to step down for another candidate.
“Vice President Atiku will be willing to participate. But the difficulty is everybody has a vision. Nobody wants to give up. There are very few politicians who are in love with Nigeria,” he said, while conceding his own place among the political class Nigerians are frustrated with.
He called on voters to judge politicians by their records rather than reject everyone who has previously held public office.
“Look at those who have stolen your money. Don’t vote for them. Look at those who are exhibiting their wealth. Don’t vote for them,” he said, adding that a coalition must first come together before any candidate could reasonably be asked to step aside.
Obi And Sowore Split Over Whether A Coalition Can Beat Tinubu
Obi said he remained open to a coalition, but only one built around a clear purpose.
“When you talk about coalition, the first thing to ask, coalition for what? If the coalition is for good governance, to tackle the issues affecting Nigeria, I agree on it and I still think it can be achieved,” he said, adding that any alliance must weigh the background, competence and character of those involved.
Sowore rejected the idea outright, arguing that ordinary Nigerians, not politicians defending the old order, will decide the election.
“It is the people, the Nigerian people, that will defeat the incumbent, not their friends who do not want to change the old order,” he said.
He accused politicians of misleading Nigerians over fuel subsidy policy and challenged Amaechi’s earlier admission that many presidential contenders had previously held public office.
“They have no business coming back. You guys should be apologising to the Nigerian people,” Sowore said, prompting Amaechi to interrupt and respond.
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