Former Kogi lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye, has declared that he would defeat President Bola Tinubu in a credible election, while stressing that his main focus is backing a united opposition candidate.

Melaye made the remarks during an interview on Mic On Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, where he criticised the current administration and expressed confidence in alternative candidates.

“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,” he said.


Speaking on his own chances, the former senator insisted he could unseat the President under a transparent process.
“Me, Dino Melaye. Let’s go on a free and fair election,” he stated.
“I will beat him flat in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Despite his confidence, Melaye said his immediate priority is not necessarily personal ambition but ensuring a united front against the current government.

“My own for now is that we must send Tinubu away. Whoever emerges from consensus or from a primary, I will support,” he said.

He also alleged that the President may not be willing to allow a credible electoral process.

“Let him allow a free and fair contest. And if he doesn’t allow it, we will make him conduct our election. Because he doesn’t want election. He wants to be Kabiyesi. He wants to be Igwe,” he added.

On coalition talks, Melaye dismissed speculation about joint tickets, saying the priority is national interest.

“I am not interested in any joint ticket or non-joint ticket, we are only interested in rescuing this country,” he said.

The former lawmaker also raised concerns about governance, alleging undue influence by non-elected individuals, particularly the President’s son, Seyi Tinubu.

“My son will not interfere with governance. My son will not summon DGs of parastatals and agencies of government and ministers,” he said.

He further criticised what he described as the growing visibility of Seyi Tinubu in public affairs, referencing comments by Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka.

“Even our respected Wole Soyinka complained about him. You have seen the City Boy Movement and what they are doing,” he said.

Melaye maintained that opposition figures are already strategising ahead of future elections, stressing that unity will be key to achieving their goal

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, on Sunday called on the management of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board to reschedule the examination date for eight candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination kidnapped last Wednesday.

Alia made the call on Sunday when he played host to the remaining 13 kidnap victims who were rescued in the early hours of Sunday at the old banquet hall, Government House, Makurdi.

The governor said the kidnap victims were victims of circumstances and must not be neglected.

Alia said, “Many of the students were travelling to Otukpo. Seven were regular passengers, and 15 were kidnapped that fateful day. One of the victims escaped, and another one escaped the following day.

“Today, all the remaining 13 kidnap victims were rescued by the security agents with the cooperation of the communities.

“I call on JAMB to look into the case of the eight young students and reschedule dates for them to write their examination.”

The governor explained that 15 out of the 18 passengers who were on board the Benue Links bus were kidnapped last Wednesday night between Taraku and Otukpo in Gwer East and Otukpo LGAs of the state, respectively.

The governor further directed the state Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Paul Ogwuche, to take the victims to the State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi for proper medical check-up and treatment before handing them over to their families.

The governor applauded the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and all the heads of security agencies in the state for their efforts in rescuing the victims.

Alia recalled that security operatives in the state have shown tremendous diligence in the discharge of their duties, rescuing several kidnap victims across the state in the past.

While confirming that seven suspects have been arrested in connection with the latest kidnapping, Alia appealed to security agents to help flush out criminal elements dwelling in ungoverned areas across the state, saying, “Our people deserve to live in peace.”

Speaking earlier, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ifeanyi Emenari, said the rescue was made possible through the collaborative efforts of all the security agencies and the communities.

Eighteen passengers, including the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination candidates, were travelling to Otukpo that Wednesday night when they were abducted by gunmen around 8 pm.

The UTME candidates, whose examination centre was in Otukpo, about 105 kilometres from Makurdi, had planned to spend the night in Otukpo before their early examination period. Unfortunately, they were kidnapped a few kilometres from Otukpo.

The management of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board had, in a statement issued on Saturday, denied that any of its candidates were among the kidnap victims.

But a relative of one of the victims, who did not want to be named and spoke to journalists in Makurdi on Saturday night, berated JAMB for not carrying out thorough findings before issuing the statement.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted cocaine concealed in food flasks bound for the United Kingdom.

The agency disclosed that 12 large parcels of cocaine weighing 2.80 kilograms were discovered hidden in the false bottom of food flasks at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos.

The illicit consignment was scheduled for shipment via a Virgin Atlantic flight to the UK.

According to a statement signed by the Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, the interception took place on April 9, 2026, leading to the arrest of two cargo agents, Ama Obinna Ufeim, 33, and Ogabi Monday Akorede, 39.

Further investigations identified the sender as a 52-year-old freight forwarder, Agoro Tajudeen Moninuola, who was subsequently apprehended.

In a separate operation at the airport’s import shed, NDLEA officers on April 8 intercepted 2.90 kilograms of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in snack food packs arriving from the United States aboard a Delta Air Lines flight.

Two clearing agents, Animashaun Moshood Adetunji and Mercy Gabriel Oluwasegun, were initially arrested, while the consignee, 29-year-old fashion designer Saheed Adeshina Adegoke, was later nabbed at his residence in Ogba, Lagos.

Beyond Lagos, the agency intensified operations across several states. In Kaduna, operatives intercepted a cement-laden trailer along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, recovering 847 kilograms of skunk hidden within the cargo. The truck driver, Umar Garba Haruna, 33, was arrested.

In Cross River State, a joint operation involving NDLEA officers and soldiers led to the arrest of 53-year-old Alice Sunday Udoh during a raid on a forest in Uwet community, Akamkpa Local Government Area.

The operation resulted in the destruction of 15,000 kilograms of skunk cultivated on six hectares of farmland, with an additional 119 kilograms recovered.

Similarly, in Edo State, NDLEA operatives raided a cannabis farm in Saboro camp, Ovia North East Local Government Area, destroying 2,281.43 kilograms of the substance.

Three suspects—Nweke Smart, 27; Christopher Egbe, 62; and Monday Ayan, 45—were arrested, with some found in possession of processed cannabis and seeds.

In Delta State, two suspects, Sunday Odili, 49, and Ijenebe Joshua, 39, were apprehended with 87.838 kilograms of skunk and seeds at the Powerline area of Okwo.

Back in Lagos, operatives arrested Chinedu Ogbekene and Zindozin Aloukou Bienvenu along the Mile 2–Badagry expressway while attempting to transport 11,900 capsules of tramadol and 400 ampoules of phenobarbital injection to Ghana. On the same day, a raid on a two-storey building in Lagos Island yielded 95.8 kilograms of skunk.

The agency also highlighted its ongoing War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, noting that sensitisation activities were carried out in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities nationwide during the past week.

Commending the efforts of officers across multiple commands, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa, praised the balance between enforcement and public education.

He stated, “I commend the officers and men of MMIA, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Kaduna, and Lagos Commands for the arrests and seizures. Their drug supply reduction efforts are well balanced with WADA sensitisation activities.”

Marwa further charged operatives across the country to sustain the momentum, urging them to “maintain the current tempo” in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.