BREAKING: “I can Challenge Tinubu in 2027” – Ex-Minister hints at Presidential Ambition

Former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung, has expressed confidence that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has the depth and political strength to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

Dalung made the assertion on Sunday Politics, a current affairs programme aired on Channels Television, where he argued that unseating the incumbent president would require a united front rather than the ambition of any single individual.

According to the former minister, the ADC is home to seasoned political figures with the capacity to mount a serious challenge against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“I believe we have many people who can challenge President Tinubu,” Dalung said. “I can even decide to contest myself, and I will challenge him.”

Dalung, who served under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, said his optimism was driven by the calibre of politicians currently aligned with the ADC. The party, which was adopted last year as the platform for an opposition coalition, boasts several high-profile members across Nigeria’s political landscape.

Among those linked with the ADC are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi; former Rivers State governor and ex-minister Rotimi Amaechi; former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola; former APC national chairman John Odigie-Oyegun; and former Senate President David Mark, among others.

Despite concerns from critics that the party could fracture after its presidential primary due to the number of heavyweight aspirants, Dalung dismissed suggestions of an impending implosion.

He said leaders and members of the ADC have already agreed on a common objective and a clear process for selecting their flagbearer.

“We are going to conduct a transparent primary,” he stated. “Whoever emerges from that process will be fully supported by all of us to challenge Tinubu.”

Dalung stressed that the opposition’s focus is firmly on collective action rather than individual ambition.

“Challenging Tinubu is not about one person,” he added. “It is not about the candidate alone; it is about the party. That resolution has been taken and unanimously approved.”

The APC, which currently controls the majority of states through its governors and dominates the National Assembly, has repeatedly downplayed the threat posed by the ADC ahead of the 2027 general election. However, Dalung insisted that unity within the opposition would be decisive in the coming contest.