African Democratic Congress, ADC, chieftain and former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, has accused President Bola Tinubu of making statements capable of inciting political violence in Nigeria.
Melaye made the allegations during an interview with DCL on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, while criticising the President’s alleged remarks that “all is fair in politics” and “take it, grab it, and run away with it”.
Questioning the implications of the President’s comments, the former lawmaker argued that they could be interpreted as endorsing electoral malpractice and undemocratic political practices.
“What you are saying is that rigging is fair politics. No, that is exactly what he said. When you say ‘all’, there is no exclusion. We are all English students: all, all, subordinate, adjectival clause, all,” Melaye said.
Melaye challenged the President’s democratic credentials, asking what kind of leader would make such statements.
“Which democrat talks like that? So he’s the one who ignited violence in our politics,” he said.
He further accused the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, of encouraging political attacks against opposition figures across the country.
Citing reported incidents involving APC chieftain Adams Oshiomhole in Ekiti, Labour Party’s Peter Obi in Benue and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in Kebbi, Melaye argued that the President’s rhetoric had contributed to political hostility.
“That’s why Atiku’s car was shot at in Kebbi. That’s why six vehicles were shot at in Kebbi. That’s why we have people with gun wounds, because the President has made pronouncements that ignite violence,” he alleged.
The ADC chieftain warned that Nigeria’s unity should not be taken for granted, drawing comparisons with countries that had experienced disintegration and prolonged conflicts.
He cited the former Yugoslavia, Bosnia, Somalia and Sudan, as well as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as examples of countries that had experienced serious political and territorial crises.
“My pain is that with an estimated 250 million people, no country in the world can take our refugees. So Tinubu will have to be very, very careful,” he said.
Melaye also urged Tinubu to embrace statesmanship, recalling advice from Professor Jerry Gana that the President should prioritise national unity and democratic stability.
“I adhere to the advice of Professor Jerry Gana, that he should not just be a president; he should be a statesman,” he added.
When asked whether his remarks amounted to challenging Tinubu’s constitutional right to contest the 2027 presidential election, Melaye clarified that he was not calling on the President to abandon his re-election ambition.
However, he argued that anyone seeking the presidency must satisfy the constitutional requirements of physical and mental fitness.
“I’m not saying he should not contest. But if you go by the constitution of the Republic of Nigeria, you must be physically fit to be president. You must be mentally fit to be president,” he said.
“Tinubu is deficient in both. He is a spent force, and there are physical manifestations to show that he is not physically fit to be president,” Melaye alleged.
When asked whether he had access to the President’s medical records to substantiate his claims, he said, “I challenged President Tinubu to release himself for medical examination to prove me wrong.”
