African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Dino Melaye, has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 Presidential Campaign Council as a “disgrace,” alleging that the structure reflects the President’s lack of trust in members of his administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Melaye made the remarks in a video posted on his X account on Saturday, August 23, 2026, while reacting to the composition of the APC Presidential Campaign Council and Tinubu’s decision to serve as its chairman.
The former Kogi State senator questioned why Tinubu, as the party’s presidential candidate, would also assume the chairmanship of the council, describing the arrangement as unprecedented.
“This is the first time in the history of the universe and the entire world that a presidential candidate of a political party will double as the chairman of the presidential campaign council for his own election,” Melaye said.
“I mean, it can never get worse than this. Actually, those the gods want to destroy, they first make mad. I mean, how can you be a presidential candidate and you are the chairman of the presidential campaign council?”
Melaye further mocked the arrangement, saying Tinubu could assume virtually every other responsibility in the campaign.
“If Tinubu likes, let him be the spokesperson of his own campaign. Let him be the director of operation of his own campaign. Let him be the director of strategy for his own campaign,” he said.
According to Melaye, the President’s decision to personally chair the campaign council suggested that he was apprehensive about relying on other senior members of his party and administration.
“It shows they are jittery, it shows they are afraid, it shows that Tinobu knows that even the governors in his kitty cannot be trusted. He knows that his ministers cannot be trusted. He knows that there will be an internal implosion within the APC,” he alleged.
He also criticised the size and structure of the campaign council, describing it as “very, very, very bogus” and accusing the APC of unnecessarily duplicating positions and committees.
“There is director one, there is director two, there is deputy director one, there is deputy director two, there is secretary one, there is secretary two,” he said.
Melaye questions NRS chairman’s campaign role
Melaye also raised questions over the reported inclusion of Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) Chairman Zacch Adedeji as deputy director in charge of fundraising for Tinubu’s presidential campaign.
He questioned whether the role amounted to a conflict of interest, given Adedeji’s responsibility for overseeing national revenue collection.
“Is there no conflict in this? As a lawyer, by the grace of God, on Monday, I’m heading to court, we have to test that. If that is not conflict of interest, I don’t know what else it will be,” Melaye declared.
He argued that Adedeji, as a public servant and salary earner, was expected to comply with the Public Service Rules and other ethical requirements governing public officials.
“The man who is supposed to observe PSR is not just supporting Tinubu, he is a member of the presidential campaign council and is the deputy director in charge of fundraising. And meanwhile, you are in charge of revenue collection of the Republic of Nigeria. How did we get here? How did we get here?”
Melaye said he would pursue the matter in court, describing the planned legal action as part of the opposition’s broader effort to challenge Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
“I will test that in court and we will make sure that by the special grace of God, the battle to stop Tinubu is a battle of no retreat, no surrender,” he said.
The ADC chieftain concluded his attack with a harsh assessment of the political situation under the Tinubu administration.
“We have never gotten this low in the history of this country. It’s a big shame. It’s a disgrace.”
