Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has said that worsening insecurity and economic hardship in the country could affect President Bola Tinubu’s chances of re-election if not urgently addressed.

Dalung made the remarks while speaking with Seun Okibaloye on the current state of the nation, saying many Nigerians are increasingly frustrated by rising insecurity, unemployment, and economic difficulties.

He argued that these challenges remain the major concerns of voters ahead of future elections.

“The main offense that Tinubu would have said to have committed in the eyes of voters would be insecurity,” he said.

He added that economic hardship and alleged mismanagement of the economy were also key issues affecting public perception of the government.

“Insecurity, untold hardship, mismanagement of the economy, corruption, unemployment,” he said.

Dalung further claimed that ordinary Nigerians are not the ones benefiting from the government’s reforms, saying instead that only those in government appear to be better off.

“The only people from 2023 to now that have been transformed are Tinubu and people in his government,” he said.

According to him, the situation reflects widespread frustration among citizens, whom he said are struggling under current economic conditions.

He also expressed concern about rising tensions in parts of the Southwest, particularly in Ibadan, warning that such developments should not be ignored by the government.

“Have you ever imagined what is happening in the Southwest? Where in Ibadan… you could hear women coming out shouting ‘ole, ole,’” he said.

“Those things happening in Ibadan, government should not ignore it. Because it is going to take us through the same political path we have been in our history,” he cautioned.

National Publicity Secretary, Arewa Consultative Forum, Prof. Tukur Mohammed-Baba, has said that it would be surprising to him if the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi performs as he did in the 2023 presidential election.

Speaking on Arise News, Mohammed-Baba pointed out that many things had changed, including Peter Obi moving to about two or three political parties.

He said that the NDC vice presidential candidate, Engr Rabiu Kwankwaso delivered Kano State in 2023 but that he doubts if the former New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, presidential candidate in 2023 will do the same in 2027.

He said, “What is becoming clear is that these people have been playing the politics of individuals. Who is going to be what? Who is going to represent a platform, and so on.

“There is everything wrong with personal ambitions, because politics is for service to the people, and so long as you are not there to serve the people, then your ambition remains what it is, personal.

“We are a country of about 220 to 230 million, and the wishes of individuals to occupy positions of authority amount to nothing. They become hollow when you want to translate it into tangible products to the electorate. 

“I can assure you that the typical person on the street I have spoken to, and I keep talking to a lot of people, they will tell you that there is nothing. They are on their own. It’s only God that will save them. It’s only prayers. Even when people know that there are limits to prayer, there has to be action before prayer. 

“Now, when you look at it, most of these parties, it’s all about individuals.

“Yes, Peter Obi made inroads in 2023, and he performed wonderfully. But then, I think that what has happened since then has vitiated his support and I will be very surprised if he performs as much as he did in 2023, especially giving the choice in the last one year or so.

“He has moved to about two or three parties, so the question we ask is, what does he want?

“And then, of course, you take the running mate, Kwankwaso delivered Kano State, and let’s be reasonable, there is great doubt on whether he can make the same in 2027, especially now you look at it, he has been saying the wrong things.”

Factional National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has cautioned the leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, against what he described as conceding too much influence to former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi and his supporters within the party.

Abure made the remarks in a statement issued on June 8, 2026, while reacting to reports of disagreements over the allocation of elective positions within the NDC.

According to the Labour Party chairman, the refusal of the NDC leadership, led by Senator Seriake Dickson, to grant all political positions sought by Obi’s supporters was a decision he described as necessary based on the Labour Party’s experience during and after the 2023 general election.

Abure alleged that several political office holders who emerged on the Labour Party platform later turned against the party leadership rather than contributing to its growth.

“They say history usually repeats itself. Senator Dickson and Co have seen their trajectory and learnt from what happened to us,” Abure said.

According to him, many politicians who benefited from the Labour Party’s platform eventually aligned with Obi and became involved in disputes over the party’s leadership structure.

Abure claimed that the Labour Party leadership made significant sacrifices ahead of the 2023 elections, including accommodating the interests of Obi and many of his supporters.

“We only looked at his body language and obliged most of his supporters with tickets. Most of the tickets were given for free because we believed we were investing in those persons,” he stated.

Abure also accused some elected officials of backing efforts to challenge the party leadership after winning elections on the LP platform.

“All those elected under the party, Obi took them to fight the leadership of the party,” he said.

Abure argued that political parties should maintain a balance in the distribution of positions and influence among members in order to preserve internal stability.

“It is very good for Seriake Dickson not to have given Obi supporters all they needed in the NDC. He needed to bring his own people so that when the chips are down, he will also have people that will speak and defend him,” he added.

The Labour Party chairman also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of contributing to the leadership crisis that emerged within the party after the 2023 elections, alleging that some party leaders accepted claims regarding the expiration of the tenure of the party’s executives.

“The leaders, particularly Peter Obi and Alex Otti, decided to take over the leadership of the party,” Abure alleged.

He maintained that his comments were informed by questions from members of the public about how the Labour Party managed its relationship with Obi and his supporters during the 2022/2023 election period.