‘PDP Was Sold to Tinubu’ – Dino Melaye Names Those Behind the Plot

Senator Dino Melaye has accused three former officials of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of helping to weaken the opposition party and allegedly hand it over to President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Melaye named former acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum; former National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; and former National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature as those he believes played major roles in the collapse of the party.

The former Kogi West senator made the allegation while speaking on the Kaa Truths podcast, where he discussed the crisis within the PDP and the 2027 general elections.

According to Melaye, the internal problems that have continued to affect the PDP were not simply the result of disagreements among party members.

He alleged that some individuals within the party worked in a manner that ultimately benefited Tinubu and the APC.

Melaye claimed that Damagum, Anyanwu and Bature were instrumental in weakening the PDP before the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, allegedly moved to give the party what he described as its “final funeral.”

His latest comments represent another strong attack on the former ruling party, which he left in 2025 to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The three PDP officials he mentioned had occupied important positions during one of the most difficult periods in the party’s history.

Damagum became acting national chairman after the removal of Iyorchia Ayu from the position in 2023. Anyanwu served as national secretary, while Bature was the national organising secretary.

Melaye had previously attacked the trio in August 2024.

On August 2024, he accused Damagum, Anyanwu and Bature of destroying the PDP and claimed that the party had been commercialised and privatised.

“End of the road for PDP as Damagum, Bature and Anyanwu irredeemably destroyed the party. We will talk about the commercialisation and privatisation of PDP. PDP is now once upon a time,” Melaye wrote at the time.

The allegation was rejected by the PDP, which described the party’s challenges as part of its internal political disagreements.

Damagum also responded to Melaye’s criticism in 2024. He questioned Melaye’s commitment to the party and recalled that the former senator contested the 2023 Kogi governorship election under the PDP platform.

Damagum said Melaye did not even vote for himself during the election.

“Let me remind you about that statement credited to Dino. He’s part of the problem. Why? Because he ran for governor in Kogi State and didn’t even vote for himself,” Damagum said in an interview with Daily Trust.

Melaye formally resigned from the PDP in 2025, citing what he described as the party’s inability to provide the political platform required to challenge the APC.

He later joined the ADC as part of the opposition coalition seeking to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

In August 2025, shortly after his resignation, Melaye accused the APC of taking control of the PDP.

“PDP has been purchased by APC. PDP is a parastatal of the APC. PDP is a department of the APC. In fact, they take dates for NEC meetings and dates for NWC from the villa,” he said.

He also questioned the conduct of PDP governors, asking whether they were still behaving like members of an opposition party.

Melaye’s criticism did not stop after he left the PDP. In September 2025, he went further by declaring that the party was “dead and buried”.

During an appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time on September, 2025, Melaye alleged that the PDP had been sold and was now controlled by people linked to the APC.

“Dead and buried, PDP was sold and I’m not sure if they got the receipt of payment but it was sold and what you have now is APC controlled PDP,” he said.

“It’s a party that is being controlled from the Villa, it’s the agents of the APC that controls the PDP.”

In a related development, Former Kogi West senator Dino Melaye has also openly challenged President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, saying he would defeat the President if the contest is free and fair.

Melaye made the statement during an interview on the Mic On Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye.

The interview was reported on April 19, after Melaye renewed his criticism of the Tinubu administration and expressed confidence in the opposition coalition.

The ADC chieftain said he was not afraid of facing Tinubu at the polls and argued that any candidate produced by the coalition would be capable of defeating the incumbent.

“My brother, anybody among those interested in presidency in ADC would do one million times better than Tinubu. They can never be a worse president than Tinubu,” Melaye said.

He also challenged the President to allow Nigerians to decide the next government through a credible electoral process.

“Me, Dino Melaye. Let’s go on a free and fair election,” he stated.

The former senator has positioned the ADC as one of the platforms through which opposition politicians can challenge the APC.