By Gloria Drealomalicha
Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has described the outcome of the Osun State governorship election as a pointer to what Nigerians should expect in the 2027 general elections.
Dalung, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday
He said the election had demonstrated that the influence of the ruling All Progressives Congress, including what he described as “federal might”, could be overcome at the ballot box.
According to the former minister, the result vindicated his earlier prediction that President Bola Tinubu could lose the 2027 presidential election.
“What happened in Osun is a confirmation of what I said two years ago, that even if Tinubu appointed his wife, Remi Tinubu, as Chief Justice of Nigeria and appointed Seyi, his son, as INEC chairman, he is going to be defeated woefully in 2027,” Dalung said.
He argued that the Osun election had shown that political structures, incumbency and the presence of powerful government officials could not automatically guarantee victory at the polls.
“When the election in Osun has come and gone, it has laid the foundation that is going to play out in 2027. The issue of federal might, incumbency, APC being the party in government, has already been put to rest because Nigerians in Osun have proved that there is determination to defend democracy,” he said.
Dalung also pointed to the large number of APC governors, lawmakers and senior party officials who campaigned in the state, arguing that their presence did not translate into electoral success for the party.
“Despite the federal might, despite the 30 governors, 45 members of the National Assembly, national chairman, Senate president, Speaker, all congregating in Osun, APC suffered a humiliating defeat,” he said.
The former minister also criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his reaction to the election result.
Dalung accused Wike of attempting to shift responsibility for the APC’s defeat to the ADC rather than addressing the resources deployed by the ruling party during the campaign.
“I think reacting to that is what my friend, the Minister of FCT, is trying to cover up. The share of how they lost in Osun, and so for him, he can relocate that blame to look at the ADC,” he said.
“But why is he not talking of the huge mobilisation resources from all the states wasted there and the humiliating loss APC suffered?”
Dalung insisted that the ADC should not be blamed for the APC’s performance, stressing that the Osun result was ultimately a reflection of the decision made by voters.
Looking ahead to 2027, he said the presidential election would be determined by voters and not simply by the strength of President Tinubu or opposition parties.
“2027 is not going to be an issue of Tinubu; it is not even going to be an issue of opposition. No. But the man Nigerians are going to be electing in 2027,” he said.
He added that regional considerations and the performance of the Tinubu administration would be among the issues likely to shape the election.
“In 2027, regionalism is going to be a factor in the determination of the election. In 2027, too, the President’s performance is going to be an issue,” Dalung said.
The former minister maintained that he remained convinced that Tinubu would lose the 2027 election, despite the movement of several governors into the APC.
“But on the overall, the President will be defeated woefully because he has assembled the people who have also abandoned the people. The governors whom he has brought to his party can never bail him out. It has been established in Osun. Their gatherings were gatherings of mourners,” he said.
Beyond electoral politics, Dalung called on political leaders to focus more on their responsibilities to Nigerians, particularly the protection of lives and property and the welfare of citizens.
He also urged public officials to think beyond personal wealth and focus on building legacies that would outlive their time in office.
“If we have leaders who have conscience, who know that all this money they are busy stockpiling, one day they will depart this earth without anything, they will concentrate on building a legacy that they will be remembered for,” he said.
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