Watch it, God may call you like Abacha before election – Melaye warns Tinubu

Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye has issued a warning to President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, drawing a parallel between the president’s political prospects and the fate of former military Head of State, Sani Abacha.

Melaye, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said Tinubu should not underestimate what he described as the “God factor” in political affairs, regardless of the strength of the president’s political backing.

The former lawmaker made the remarks on Wednesday in a post on X, arguing that Abacha had appeared virtually certain to transition from military ruler to civilian president before his sudden death in 1998.

According to Melaye, Abacha’s political machinery had already secured the endorsement of the five political parties that existed at the time, leaving him with little apparent opposition as he prepared for a civilian presidency.

“There is a God factor in the affairs of men. Tinubu does not understand this. Abacha was endorsed by all the 5 political parties at that time.

“There was no contest, he was already cruising to become a civilian president. God picked His phone and called Abacha.

“When God calls you, there is no network failure. That God has not gone on omugo, Tinubu watch it.”

Melaye’s warning comes as Nigeria’s political parties and opposition groups increasingly position themselves for the 2027 contest.

The ADC, which has emerged as a platform for several opposition figures ahead of the election, has been seeking to consolidate forces opposed to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Tinubu, meanwhile, has not formally declared his intention to seek re-election, although prominent APC figures and supporters have repeatedly backed his return for a second term.

Melaye’s reference to Abacha carries a pointed historical message. Abacha died suddenly in June 1998 while still military Head of State, bringing an abrupt end to plans for a transition to civilian rule under his leadership. Nigeria subsequently returned to civilian government in 1999.

There is a God factor in the affairs of men. Tinubu does not understand this. Abacha was endorsed by all the 5 political parties at that time. There was no contest, he was already cruising to become civilian president. God picked His phone and called Abacha. When God calls you,… pic.twitter.com/7jAsVxFbWT

— Senator Dino Melaye. (SDM) (@_dinomelaye) August 5, 2026

For Melaye, the lesson is that political endorsements and seemingly overwhelming support cannot determine the final outcome.

His warning to Tinubu was therefore less about electoral arithmetic than what he described as an unpredictable higher power — summed up in his closing line: “That God has not gone on omugo, Tinubu watch it.”