Former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung, has accused Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, of attempting to manipulate northern Christians amid growing discontent with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In an interview on Wednesday, Dalung claimed that many northern Muslims who supported the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 election, largely because of the Muslim-Muslim ticket, now feel betrayed by President Tinubu.
According to him, these disillusioned supporters have turned against the president.
“Currently, Tinubu’s wife is reaching out to northern Christian minorities, trying to mislead or persuade them with the argument that since northern Muslims have rejected Tinubu, they should now support and ‘own’ the President,” Dalung said.
He criticized northern Christian leaders who had previously opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket but are now entertaining visits from the First Lady.
“My question to Christians in the North is: You campaigned against the Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2023. What moral justification do you have now to welcome Tinubu’s wife? Has the situation changed? If not, why are Christian leaders receiving her after opposing the ticket?”
Dalung further stated that Muslims who supported Tinubu in 2023 were at least honest in their stance. He argued that if Tinubu could betray his Muslim supporters, northern Christians should be wary of trusting him.
“Some Christian leaders have tried to convince me that since northern Muslims have rejected Tinubu, we should support him. But I ask if Tinubu can betray those he meets in the mosque, where will we stand if he betrays us?”
He urged northern Christians to align with northern Muslims and support a Christian candidate from the South, preferably the South-West, to challenge Tinubu in the next election.
“You cannot secretly accept money at night and then try to reinterpret the Bible to justify your actions,” he added.
Dalung concluded by saying he would rather accept the apology of northern Muslims who feel betrayed by Tinubu than engage in what he called “hypocrisy” by suddenly supporting the President.
