A fresh twist has emerged in the leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as former lawmaker Dino Melaye accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of attempting to influence the judiciary ahead of the Supreme Court of Nigeria verdict on the party’s disputed National Working Committee (NWC).

Melaye alleged that Tinubu, during a meeting with Renewed Hope Ambassadors last week Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, subtly signalled the judiciary by describing an opposition convention as illegal despite the matter being before the courts.

The Kogi state born lawmaker insisted that no court in Nigeria had made such a pronouncement, warning that the President’s remarks amounted to undue interference.

“You will see from his speech when he was addressing his coordinators few days ago, Mr. President prompted Judiciary because he called our convention illegal. So he has constituted himself to now be the court,” he claimed.

“He has the power to declare what is legal and what is illegal for a matter that is pending in court. And as of today, no court in Nigeria have pronounced our convention illegal.

“But addressing his coordinators, he was given a body language and signal to the judiciary by addressing our convention illegal when no courts said so.
That is prompting the judiciary, that is very unprecedential.”

Melaye spoke on Tuesday at a gathering of serving and former National Assembly members convened to deliberate on the state of democracy held at YarAdua center ahead of the apex court’s ruling on the legitimacy of the Senator David Mark-led ADC NWC.

The allegations come against the backdrop of Tinubu’s high-profile engagement last Thursday with leaders and coordinators of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, a nationwide political mobilisation platform widely linked to his 2027 re-election strategy.

While the Presidency has framed the Villa meeting as a routine mobilisation and governance engagement, Melaye and opposition figures argue that certain remarks particularly references to “illegal conventions”—could be interpreted as pre-empting judicial decisions.

The development underscores growing political tension ahead of the Supreme Court ruling, with the ADC crisis emerging as a potential flashpoint in Nigeria’s evolving 2027 political landscape.

At the meeting, the President struck a defiant tone, dismissing opposition pressure and vowing to stay the course on economic reforms.

“They want to scare me off? That is a lie. if I have to go through it again, I will,” Tinubu declared.

Tinubu at the event framed his administration as being on a historic mission to reposition Nigeria:
“This is an opportunity of a lifetime to break the shackles of poverty and ignorance,” he said, urging supporters to sustain grassroots mobilisation.

In remarks now drawing heightened scrutiny, Tinubu also emphasised strict adherence to the rule of law and judicial authority: “We cannot submit to disobedience of lawful court orders. We must embrace the judiciary, whether it favours us or not.”

He further warned against what he described as illegitimate political processes, stating that democracy must not be undermined by “the rascality of street conventions.”

The villa meeting, attended by governors, party leaders and political coordinators led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, marked Tinubu’s first formal engagement with the structure as it shifts toward nationwide grassroots mobilisation.