 ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.){kind=link}
Former Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, has voiced strong optimism about the prospects of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.
He believes the party has the potential to present a strong and credible candidate who can defeat the incumbent, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the polls.
Melaye made the declaration while speaking as a guest on Politics Today, a political programme aired on Channels Television on Friday. During the interview, he emphasised that the ADC must first prioritise internal stability and unity before throwing its weight behind any presidential aspirant.
“Those of us in the ADC need to create a comfortable, stable platform. And I believe that platform will produce a candidate that will unseat President Ahmed Bola Tinubu in 2027,” he stated confidently.
The former lawmaker, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), clarified that he is not presently focused on championing any individual candidacy. Instead, he said his current mission is to help build a cohesive and transparent political structure within the ADC that will eventually produce a strong presidential contender.
“I have made it a point of duty that I will not be talking about a presidential candidate or aspirant or preference for anybody until we get the party completely stabilised and organise a transparent convention that will produce a presidential candidate of the ADC who, by the grace of God, will kick,” he declared.
In a passionate defence of the ADC’s emergence as an alternative to the country’s dominant parties, Melaye described the party as a form of spiritual and moral awakening—a political “altar call” for Nigerians who are tired of corruption and poor governance.
“Why Nigerians should think differently about the ADC is that once there’s an altar call in the church of God, only those who are emotionally affected, have conscience, and are ready to leave darkness and move into light respond. So, ADC is a national altar call,” he said.
Melaye further stated that while the party does not claim moral perfection, its members are united by a sincere commitment to the country’s future. He explained that those who have moved into the ADC are driven by patriotic convictions and a desire to be remembered for standing on the right side of history.
“Not everybody in ADC is a saint,” he admitted, “but what I’m telling you is that everybody who moved into ADC is concerned about Nigeria. We want to see a Nigeria where we’ll be able to answer questions from our grandchildren who will ask us, when we’re 90 and toothless: ‘When Nigeria was being destroyed, Grandpa, what did you do?’ We want to be able to say we did A, B, C, and D.”
Melaye’s confidence in the ADC comes shortly after his formal resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). On July 31, iReport247News reported that the former senator publicly announced his departure from the PDP via a post on his verified X account (formerly Twitter). Attached to the post was a signed resignation letter addressed to the PDP Ward Chairman of his local ward—Ward 1, Aiyetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
In the letter, Melaye expressed deep dissatisfaction with the direction and performance of the PDP, asserting that the party has lost its ability to provide credible opposition or bring about meaningful national transformation.
“This decision has become imperative due to the lack of potency and capacity by the party to deliver the Nigerian people from the prevailing political cankerworms that have eaten deeply into the fabric of our dear nation,” he wrote.
Melaye explained that his resignation was based on “careful reflection on the current state of the party,” and added that his principles and conscience no longer aligned with the PDP’s operations or direction. According to him, remaining in the party would compromise his personal values and commitment to national progress.
Though Melaye initially did not reveal his next political move, his recent alignment with the ADC and his passionate support for its vision has now confirmed where he intends to play his next political role.