Tinubu Not Comparable To Awolowo, Sardauna — Dalung

Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has described President Bola Tinubu as the dwarf in Nigerian political history, insisting that he shouldn’t be compared with great leaders like Sardauna and Awolowo.

He also said that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has people who can challenge Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election irrespective of who emerges as the ADC presidential candidate.

Dalung made this comments during an interview on channels television Sunday politics programme.

Speaking while reacting to suggestions that Tinubu stands tall in Nigeria’s political landscape and would be difficult to defeat given his influence as sitting president and leader of the ruling party, Dalung disagreed.

“Tinubu is the dwarf in Nigerian political history, and he should not be compared with great leaders like Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, or Obafemi Awolowo, because great political leaders leave legacies. They serve the people.

“They work for the people. If Tinubu is a great strategist, as it’s been speculated, let us see this translated into action. Tinubu cannot manage insecurity.

“Tinubu cannot manage the economy. Tinubu cannot manage even common palliatives that were rolled out for the purpose of augmenting some of his economic policies.

“His strategies, we’ve seen in his performance. With him, everything is failing,” Dalung said.

He argued that Nigeria’s current economic situation does not reflect a strong political strategy, insisting that hardship and corruption remain major concerns.

He questioned the real impact of government policies on citizens’ welfare, saying Nigerians should assess leadership based on visible results rather than political messaging.

He also maintained that citizens should not feel intimidated by political narratives, adding that while Tinubu’s political strategies were often cited in reference to Lagos, Nigerians expect to see similar measurable outcomes at the national level.

“We cannot be cajoled. We cannot be intimidated. We are ready to beat that dwarf who is now trying to assist giants and fight with everything he can,” he said.

Turning to the ADC, Dalung noted that the ADC can defeat Tinubu with collective effort attributing his enthusiasm to the calibre of politicians in the ADC.

“So I think we have so many people to challenge Tinubu. I can determine to contest the election, and I will challenge him,” the lawyer, who served as minister under the immediate past leadership of President Muhammadu Tinubu, said.

THE WHISTLER reports that the ADC houses some top politicians. Some of them include ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar; ex-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi; a former governor of Rivers State and ex-minister, Rotimi Amaechi; ex-minister and former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola; a former national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun; and a former Senate President, David Mark, among other bigwigs.

Critics argue that the ADC may implode after its presidential primary, given the array of politicians on the party’s membership roster.

The APC, which enjoys the membership of 30 governors and an overwhelming majority in the National Assembly, has waved off claims that the ADC would challenge them in next year’s election.

However, Dalung said those in the opposition party are united in the pursuit of their purpose to defeat Tinubu in the next election irrespective of who emerges as the ADC presidential candidate.

“We are going to conduct a transparent primary, and we have also resolved that whoever wins a transparent primary will be the person all of us support to challenge Tinubu.

“So, challenging Tinubu is not an individual issue. It’s not the issue of the candidate; it’s the issue of the party. That resolution has been issued and approved,” he said.

Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, won the 2023 presidential election, beating Atiku, Obi, and several other contenders.

With the 2027 elections about one year away, the APC rank has continued to swell with governors, National Assembly members, state lawmakers, and others joining the ruling party.

The main opposition People Democratic Party (PDP) has seen its ranks depleted, and a plethora of internal grumblings have further deepened the division within the party.

That pushed some opposition leaders into the ADC, which observers argue presents the most viable resistance to the ruling APC.