2027: Melaye threatens legal action over NRS boss’s appointment to Tinubu campaign

By Jude Opara

Former Kogi West senator Dino Melaye has threatened to challenge in court the appointment of Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) Executive Chairman Zacch Adedeji as Deputy Director of Fundraising for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.

Melaye described the appointment as a potential conflict of interest, arguing that Adedeji, as the head of a government revenue agency, should not simultaneously play a fundraising role for the campaign of a sitting president.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time, monitored in Abuja, Melaye said Adedeji’s appointment was particularly troubling because his position as NRS chairman was confirmed by the Senate and therefore required him to comply with public service laws and regulations.

“Zacch Adedeji cannot be the chairman of the NRS and, at the same time, be a fundraiser for the presidential campaign of a sitting President,” he said.

The former lawmaker said he intended to use the court process to test the legality of the appointment, which he described as evidence of what he called desperation by the APC-led administration.

Melaye also questioned the inclusion of other senior government officials in Tinubu’s campaign structure, alleging that the arrangement could blur the line between public office and partisan political activities.

He further claimed that the reported suspension of the campaign council list followed his public criticism of the appointments.

According to Melaye, the explanation that some names were missing from the list was merely a cover for the administration’s reaction to the controversy surrounding the composition of the campaign council.

The former senator accused the Tinubu administration and the APC of acting with disregard for established rules, insisting that he and other Nigerians would continue to challenge what they consider improper conduct ahead of the 2027 election.

The controversy comes as preparations for the 2027 presidential election intensify, with the APC assembling its campaign structure and opposition figures scrutinizing the roles of serving government officials in the president’s re-election effort.