A former Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to allow what he described as a genuinely free and fair electoral contest, insisting he could defeat the incumbent under such conditions.
Melaye, who spoke during an appearance on the “Mic On Podcast” hosted by Seun Okinbaloye of Channels Television, alleged that the president is reluctant to face a competitive election.
‘He wants coronation, not contest’
The former lawmaker claimed that Tinubu is more interested in securing a second term without a credible electoral process.
“Let’s go on a free and fair election. Today, Bola Tinubu is the most unpopular politician in Nigeria. I will beat him flat. He won’t even stand up,” Melaye said.
“Let him allow a free and fair contest. If he does not allow it. We will make him conduct an election because he does not want an election.
“He wants to be Kabiyesi and Igwe. We won’t allow that to happen in Nigeria.”
Melaye, now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), also argued that any presidential aspirant from the party would outperform the current administration.
“Any person among those interested in the presidency in ADC will do one million times better than Tinubu. There can never be a worse president than Tinubu,” he said.
Melaye’s comments come months after his participation in the November 2023 Kogi State governorship election, where he ran under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In that contest, Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured victory with 446,237 votes, defeating Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who polled 259,052 votes, while Melaye finished third with 46,362 votes.
