Melaye, however, praised African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as a broad nationalist best suited to unite the country.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Former Kogi State gubernatorial candidate, Dino Melaye, has insisted that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, cannot be Nigeria’s president because of his limited political spread.
The former federal lawmaker, who represented Kogi West Senatorial District in the Senate, made this known on Thursday while appearing as a guest on the KAA Truths podcast.
According to Melaye, the former Anambra State governor is a “regional champion” who will not realise his presidential ambition because of his limited spread and acceptance.
He went on to draw a contrast between Obi and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, whom he labelled a true nationalist.
While analysing Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 election, the former legislator acknowledged that his comments might sound awkward or offensive, but insisted that his position was based on his understanding of the country’s political terrain.
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Speaking during the interview, Melaye said, “Atiku is a nationalist. Obi is a regional champion. It may sound awkward. It may sound offensive, but Obi is a good man and he’s my friend. I have respect for him, but he’s a regional champion and no regional champion in this country will ever be president.”
He went on to compare Obi to the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, arguing that despite being a brilliant and exceptional leader, Awolowo could not win a presidential election in Nigeria because of his regional political identity.
”Awolowo, fantastic man, brilliant, exquisite, cosmopolitan, leader par excellence—but he was a regional champion. He contested for the presidency of this country; he could only win convincingly in the South-West because he’s not a nationalist in that regard of politics,” he further noted.
Melaye’s assertions sparked intense public debate after making the rounds online, as supporters of Obi and Awolowo objected to labelling the duo as “regional champions”.
Commenting online, many Nigerians questioned his definition of regional and national spread by pointing out that Obi’s votes in the 2023 election stretched beyond the South-East to include Lagos, Abuja (FCT), Plateau, Nasarawa, and other parts of the country. Others noted that Awolowo’s era cannot be compared with today’s politics and criticized Melaye for disrespecting the foremost nationalist.
While agreeing that broader cross-regional party structures remain vital for presidential victory in Nigeria, netizens mocked Melaye’s own political influence and suggested his comments were driven by partisan loyalty towards Atiku ahead of the 2027 elections.
