Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has alleged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains the only Nigerian leader who has drawn a clear battle line between himself and the masses by weaponising hunger, poverty and hardship.
Dalung who stated this told The GUARDIAN that Tinubu’s interpreting recent defections into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as proof of growing support for Tinubu was misleading.
According to Dalung, the defection were due to political fear and personal interests.
“The person who defected is the governor whose mandate was very controversial,” Dalung said, referencing the recent defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to the APC. “Would the people follow him?”
He said endorsements within the APC lacks real electoral value because they were sponsored by individuals seeking protection from accountability.
“It is a conclave of sinners; people who have committed heinous crimes against the Nigerian people and they are jumping into the ship for the forgiveness of their sins,” he said. “Not that they believe in Tinubu.”
Dalung said if all 36 state governors defect to the APC and Tinubu’s son Seyi is appointed chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the president would still face a major challenge at the 2027 polls.
“Tinubu is going to slug it out with the masses because he is the only president who has drawn a battle line between him and the masses by weaponising hunger, poverty and hardship,” Dalung said.
“And he is not remorseful about it; rather he is very pretentious, always telling Nigerians to sacrifice for the good days ahead, while he alongside his wife and son are busy living lavish lives, spending lavishly all over Nigeria. When will they sacrifice?”
Dalung expressed worry about the state of democracy under the current administration, saying “some reckless lawmakers may one day try to make Tinubu life president.”
On the formation of a new political coalition reportedly involving Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai and others ahead of the 2027 general elections, Dalung said the situation was different from previous attempts.
“This coalition is different from all attempted coalitions since the First Republic. The president has declared himself the enemy of the poor and the poor are dying every day of hunger, poverty, malnutrition,” he said. “The coalition is very popular among the poor people; that is the truth.”
Dalung said the coalition may be made up of politicians with varied interests, but they are united by a shared objective: to end the current political reality.
“They are all enemies of themselves; they are all enemies of Jesus. For the purpose of crucifying Jesus, they became friends and that is how I see the coalition,” he said.
