A member of the Senate, a former National Assembly representative, and spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council, Dino Melaye, shared his views with Friday Olokor on the February 25 presidential election and the declaration of All Progressives Congress candidate Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Despite Tinubu’s proclamation, the PDP remains confident it will prevail at the tribunal, while the APC and the Labour Party also assert victory. Melaye insists there is no need to trivialise the issues. He claims Atiku Abubakar won the election, citing polling‑unit results that, when collated, show Atiku leading by over four million votes—a margin he believes will be confirmed in court.
Melaye alleges that INEC compromised the process, effectively becoming an APC department. He says the commission ignored complaints when the computation and collation began, and that INEC Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu rushed the announcement, pronouncing Tinubu president in the early hours of the morning while Nigerians slept. “Why were they so desperate to announce at 4 a.m.? Why not do it in broad daylight?” he asks, suggesting the timing was meant to avoid scrutiny. He argues Tinubu’s eight‑million‑vote total lacks legitimacy, noting that, when the votes of the PDP, Labour Party and other parties are combined, more than 16 million Nigerians rejected Tinubu, undermining any claim to a credible mandate.
Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) wrote to INEC reminding the commission of the constitutional requirement that a presidential candidate secure at least 25 percent of the vote in the Federal Capital Territory. According to Melaye, INEC ignored this warning, resulting in the first president declared without meeting the 25‑percent FCT threshold. He views this as evidence of collusion, desperation and compromise within INEC and its chairman, and predicts the declaration will not stand. By God’s grace, he says, Atiku will lead the fight to recover the party’s mandate.
Melaye explains why he believes Atiku won: votes were suppressed in Jigawa, Sokoto, Kano, Borno and Rivers states, and the results were not a genuine collation but an allocation by INEC. He warns against celebrating the Labour Party’s win in Lagos, describing it as a deliberate allocation that cannot meet the constitutional requirement of 25 percent in two‑thirds of the states. Even the 700,000 votes given to Rabiu Kwankwaso in Kano were, he says, an allocation to silence him while inflating the APC’s total in the state. Across the country, the PDP’s votes were suppressed while the APC’s were inflated, prompting calls for outright cancellation of the election.
He notes that no president declared by INEC has ever been removed by a tribunal or the Supreme Court, but asserts the PDP will change that narrative. Describing the election as the worst in Nigeria’s history, Melaye likens the process to a “daylight robbery” despite modern technology. He warns that anyone betraying Nigeria will face international condemnation and that justice must prevail. The PDP is prepared to pursue all legal avenues within the law to achieve this.
Regarding accusations of vote‑buying, Melaye addresses the case of Rivers State lawmaker Chinyere Igwe, who was allegedly caught with $498,000. He says there is no direct link to Atiku; Igwe is more closely allied with Governor Nyesom Wike, having served three terms in the House and held a commissionership under Wike. The matter is under police investigation, and Melaye declines further comment.
Melaye accuses the APC of monetising the election, claiming they deceived Nigerians with a fake naira redesign and distributed new notes, a scheme he witnessed firsthand. He describes the entire process as a massive deception involving INEC, the APC, its governors and former President Buhari.
When asked about former Ekiti governor Ayo Fayose’s claim that he urged Atiku to run for only one term, Melaye dismisses it, advising not to take Fayose seriously. He also rejects the notion that age makes this Atiku’s last chance, noting that longevity varies and only God determines anyone’s capacity.
On his own political future, Melaye says he has submitted forms for the Kogi State governorship, with screening next week, a primary on April 14 and a general election in November, expressing confidence in winning. Regarding the Senate presidency, he cautions against premature celebrations until a new presidential election is held, as the political landscape may shift.
Melaye clarifies that his criticism is not personal against Tinubu but directed at injustice. He stresses his desire for a country his children can be proud of and rejects any personal animosity, emphasizing that silence in an unjust society is a crime.
Addressing speculation that the PDP lost because of the G‑5 governors, Melaye disagrees, asserting Atiku won regardless of any governor’s influence. He describes Governor Wike as a “Maradona” who may dribble but ultimately scores with his hand, suggesting the G‑5’s role is a story of shame and regret.
When questioned about the loss of Delta State, where Vice‑Presidential candidate and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was defeated by the Labour Party, Melaye attributes the outcome to massive, organised rigging by INEC, noting that even a sitting governor cannot overcome a compromised electoral body.
Finally, Melaye argues that the cost of re‑running an election is irrelevant compared to the price of democracy. He calls the eight‑million‑vote figure for Tinubu “ridiculous” in a nation of over 220 million people, emphasizing that more than 18 million Nigerians voted against him. He urges INEC Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu to resign immediately, stating that he has lost legitimacy, credibility and integrity, and that the PDP will continue to agitate until that happens.
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