"What We’re Seeing, We’ve Never Seen Before" – Dino Melaye Blasts President Tinubu Over Economic Hardship at ADC Convention

Dino Melaye criticizes President Tinubu’s "impulsive" subsidy removal and urges Nigerians to trust the ADC coalition to end multidimensional poverty.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 15, 2026, 6:03 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Politics Nigeria

A Scathing Assessment of the Current Administration

Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye has issued a blistering critique of President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleging that the current government has subjected Nigerians to an unprecedented level of suffering. Addressing the 2026 National Convention of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja on Tuesday, Melaye argued that the administration’s approach to governance has been marked by a lack of proper system review, resulting in untold hardship and "abject penury" for millions of citizens across the federation.

The "Subsidy is Gone" Policy Fallout

A central point of Melaye’s criticism was the President’s inaugural declaration on May 29, 2023, regarding the removal of the fuel subsidy. Melaye contended that the decision was made impulsively at Eagle Square before the President had been properly briefed on the complexities of the subsidy system. According to the former lawmaker, this "just like that" approach triggered a negative chain reaction, causing the prices of essential goods and services to skyrocket and fundamentally destabilizing the domestic economy.

Advocating for the ADC Coalition

Melaye utilized the convention platform to position the ADC and its allied leaders as the viable alternative to the status quo. He highlighted prominent opposition figures associated with the broader coalition efforts—including Peter Obi, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and Rotimi Amaechi—suggesting they possess the administrative competence to lead without the "instability" he attributes to the current government. During his speech, he performed a theatrical demonstration of the administration's perceived shakiness, contrasting it with the perceived readiness of the opposition.