Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, says the exit of former Finance Minister, Wale Edun, a longtime confidant of President Bola Tinubu, and one of the architects of his Lagos economic reforms, points to deeper troubles within the President’s inner circle.

He warned that if a trusted ally of decades could leave under such circumstances, “nobody around Tinubu is safe.”

Dalung’s remarks came against the backdrop of the reported strained relationship between the President and his former ally.

While the President was said to have reportedly fired him, official explanations said Edun stepped down on health grounds.

But Dalung suggested the circumstances surrounding the development may run deeper than publicly acknowledged.

“I agree with them that he resigned on health grounds because that is their media statement, but what we know is more than what they are trying to tell Nigerians,” he said.

Their closeness, Dalung argued, makes the development more significant than a routine cabinet exit.

“Nobody is as close as Wale Edun to Bola Tinubu. He has been with Tinubu for a very long time. If it could be handled in this manner, then nobody around Tinubu is safe,” he said.

Dalung, who described Edun as a personal friend, said he had long believed the former minister was ill-suited for the realities of the current political arrangement.

“When he was appointed minister, I wanted to tell him that I did not envy him. He is a very good Nigerian, but he is a misfit into a political arrangement like the one we have in place.”

According to him, Edun endured the contradictions of the system until continuing further would have put his principles at risk.

“He is somebody who has integrity. I think he tolerated it to the extent that his integrity was going to break, and he had to throw in the towel,” he said.

Dalung also spoke on opposition realignments ahead of 2027, describing a possible joint ticket involving Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso as a strong proposition.

“On face value, Obi, Kwankwaso is a fantastic and wonderful idea for ADC and Nigeria,” he said.

He, however, contradicted himself swiftly saying that as a leader in the ADC , he could not openly back any aspirant.

He said the party must avoid manipulation and uphold internal fairness.

“I am not in the ADC for anybody to think he can wake up and manipulate anything. There is nothing the ADC will do that will resemble the injustice of what we left in APC,” he said.

According to him, “It must be a very transparent process because we want to give the younger generation a better legacy.” (Daily Trust)

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