ABUJA — Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has thrown a heavy gauntlet at the feet of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declaring that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has exhausted its bag of political tricks and will face a formidable “people-powered” challenge in 2027.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday, February 9, 2026, the outspoken former minister—now a leading voice in the African Democratic Congress (ADC)—asserted that the incumbent’s legendary political strategies are no longer a mystery to the opposition. “We know Tinubu too well; we know his strategies—there is nothing new about what they (the APC) will do,” Dalung stated with a defiant air.
‘Even I Can Challenge Him’ — Dalung’s Ultimatum
Dalung, whose critiques of the administration have grown increasingly sharp during the ongoing terrorism financing trial of former AGF Abubakar Malami, hinted that he might personally enter the presidential ring.
“We have so many people to challenge Tinubu; even I can decide to contest, and I will challenge him,” he declared. He promised that the ADC would not follow the path of “anointed candidates,” but would instead conduct a masterclass in internal democracy. “Who will challenge him will be determined by the Nigerian people through the membership of the ADC. We are going to conduct transparent primaries. Whosoever wins will challenge Tinubu.”
The Rising ‘Third Force’ and the PDP Exodus
Dalung’s confidence arrives as the ADC transforms into a massive “catch-basin” for disillusioned heavyweights.
- The Benue Factor: The party recently welcomed former Governor Gabriel Suswam, who abandoned the PDP citing a leadership vacuum at Wadata Plaza.
- The Rigging Anxiety: The ADC has become a fixture at the National Assembly gates, where Peter Obi and activists are currently protesting the Senate’s rejection of electronic result transmission.
Economic Hardship: The Silent Campaigner
Dalung argued that the vanishing middle class and the looming ₦1,000 per litre petrol price have effectively written the opposition’s campaign manifesto.
“Nigerians have watched the elite subsidise their own lifestyles while the poor are told to endure. They see the ₦152 trillion national debt and the unilateral ₦7.6 trillion NNPCL debt write-off as a betrayal,” he said.
The ‘Villa Peace’ vs. The Street
While President Tinubu recently brokered a reconciliation between Nyesom Wike and Governor Sim Fubara to stabilise the South-South, Dalung insists that “secret handshakes in the Villa” will not stop the “voice of the forest” from demanding a transparent ballot.
As of Monday afternoon, the APC National Secretariat has yet to respond to Dalung’s “know-your-playbook” jibe. However, within the ADC, the wheels are already turning for what many hope will be a definitive challenge to the “Renewed Hope” status quo.
