Former Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, has said President Bola Tinubu is “working very hard” to lose the 2027 presidential election, arguing that the administration risks losing public support due to worsening economic hardship and insecurity.
Dalung, who served under former late President Muhammadu Buhari, made the remarks in a post on his X account on Tuesday.
According to him, incumbents often lose elections not because the opposition becomes stronger, but because they become disconnected from the people they govern.
He argued that governments seeking re-election must consistently earn public goodwill through policies that improve citizens’ lives, secure communities and fulfil campaign promises.
Dalung, however, said many Nigerians were struggling with rising living costs, unemployment and insecurity, warning that these experiences could shape voting decisions ahead of the 2027 general election.
He maintained that “every painful experience creates another silent voter” and “every broken promise recruits another silent opposition member,” adding that elections effectively begin long before the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, releases an election timetable.
The former minister further stated that hunger, economic hardship and hopelessness were more potent political forces than opposition campaigns, saying no political speech could outweigh the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.
He also cautioned the administration against equating political defections and endorsements with widespread public approval, stressing that citizens would ultimately judge the government based on their daily experiences.
Dalung added that if the Tinubu administration intends to secure another term in office, it should focus less on political realignments and more on addressing the economic and security challenges confronting Nigerians.
“When I say President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is working very hard to lose the 2027 election, I am not making a political wish. I am making a political assessment.
“Incumbents do not lose elections because the opposition suddenly becomes stronger. They lose because they gradually become disconnected from the people they govern.
“Every government seeking another mandate must continually deposit political goodwill into the emotional account of the electorate. Every policy that eases hardship is a deposit. Every life secured is a deposit. Every promise kept is a deposit. Every act of compassion is a deposit.
“But what happens when, day after day, the withdrawals become greater than the deposits?
“That is the question confronting this administration.
“Today, millions of Nigerians are not asking for luxury; they are asking for survival,” part of the statement read.
