Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has taken a swipe at politicians decamping from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), branding them as “sinners seeking forgiveness,” not loyalists who believe in President Bola Tinubu’s leadership.
Speaking in Abuja, Dalung rejected the claim that the APC’s performance is attracting political heavyweights. Instead, he said these defections are an attempt by “political sinners” to cleanse themselves of past misdeeds.
Dalung referenced a widely circulated quote—often attributed to former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole—claiming that no matter the weight of a politician’s corruption, the APC offers absolution upon defection.
Though Oshiomhole has consistently denied ever saying this, the sentiment continues to reverberate in the corridors of Nigerian politics.
He said, “These are people who have committed heinous crimes against the Nigerian people and they are jumping into the APC ship for the forgiveness of their sins. Not that they believe in Tinubu, no; they do not. They are only assembling so that their sins will be forgiven.
So it is a conclave of political cardinals who have committed grave sins against the Nigerian people and a political party has offered them the opportunity of forgiveness on entrance.”
Dalung also sounded a warning: the influx of defectors could eventually backfire on the APC.
“You know there is an adage in Hausa that if animals celebrate the death of a butcher, has the knife also died? If beneficiaries of the mandate of the people are defecting, have the people also defected?
So there is no value added to Tinubu except that he has compounded the situation in his party and there will be an implosion.”
On the emergence of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dalung dismissed fears that it would threaten the political ambition of the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo.
“Adebayo’s political charisma, image and personality within the Nigerian political environment has presented him as an obvious force to deal with in 2027.”
He praised Adebayo’s steadfast opposition to the policies of the current administration, noting that his media visibility and unwavering commitment have made him the face of the SDP.
“So, Nigerians are very conversant with Adebayo’s voice, charisma and leadership qualities. So, whether you mobilize the whole politicians into the SDP, you must resolve the question of Adebayo in the SDP as a presidential candidate before any other person.
This is because nobody has promoted the SDP in Nigeria like Adebayo. After Chief MKO Abiola, you rank Adebayo in the contemporary SDP as the highest. So, the concern as some people are expressing is normal. Human beings entertain such fears but the reality is that the name SDP since 2023 has been sustained unilaterally by the doggedness, commitment, dedication and selflessness of Prince Adebayo.
So, he is a force to beat in whatever political arrangement that the SDP will put on ground to produce a presidential candidate. He is a patriot who did not join politics for himself; he has surrendered the rest of his life to the service of humanity and he did that at his 50th birthday.”
