Why I Left APC for SDP – Ex-Minister Solomon Dalung
Former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung, has revealed the reasons behind his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), citing disillusionment with the APC leadership and its governance approach.
In an interview with Punch newspaper, Dalung explained that his experiences within the APC, particularly a meeting with the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, prompted his departure and eventual shift to the SDP.
Dalung recounted his appointment as the Director of Contact and Mobilisation for the APC’s Strategic Campaign Council in 2022, a position that brought him into close contact with Tinubu. However, a 30-minute meeting with the presidential candidate raised serious concerns for the former minister.
“I was appointed Director of Contact and Mobilisation by the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, in 2022. After a 30-minute discussion with him, I realized he couldn’t comprehend much of what we talked about. At that point, I warned myself. Having campaigned to bring Muhammadu Buhari to power—and seeing Nigerians crying out over his failures—I knew I couldn’t continue down that path,” Dalung stated.
Following this encounter, Dalung resigned from his role in the Strategic Campaign Council, chaired by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and subsequently left the APC altogether.
After evaluating the political landscape, Dalung said he found the SDP to be the party best positioned to shape Nigeria’s future.
“After assessing all the political parties, I was convinced that the SDP holds the future, and it is the party I want to associate with,” he added.
Dalung officially joined the SDP in 2022 and contested the 2023 National Assembly election for the Langtang North/Langtang South Constituency. However, despite gathering evidence of electoral irregularities by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), he chose not to pursue legal action, expressing skepticism about the judiciary’s ability to deliver justice.
“I contested the 2023 National Assembly election. But when INEC did what they did, despite having evidence, I decided not to waste my time in court because I wasn’t convinced justice could be achieved,” he explained.
Dalung also criticized the current state of governance in Nigeria, describing it as a “kakistocracy”—a system where the worst individuals rule for their own benefit.
“We are not practicing democracy anymore; what we have is a government of a few, for themselves, their personal interests, families, and friends,” he asserted.
He welcomed new members joining the SDP and reaffirmed the party’s commitment to reforming the nation’s political system and restoring integrity to governance.
