Solomon Dalung, a prominent figure within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former minister of youth and sports development, has publicly denounced what he terms a unilateral decision by the party's national secretary, Rauf Aregbesola. The accusation centres on Aregbesola's alleged independent appointment of caretaker committees for all 36 states, a move Dalung claims was made without the requisite approval of the national chairman.
Dalung stated that he was alerted to this development through social media posts that displayed appointment letters bearing Aregbesola's signature. These letters reportedly named individuals tasked with overseeing the ADC’s state-level affairs across Nigeria.
Appointments Contradict Pending Supreme Court Case
The former minister's core objection hinges on the fact that the individuals designated in these appointment letters are the very same persons who had previously been removed from office by courts of appeal. Furthermore, their appeal against these judicial rulings is currently awaiting a decision from the Supreme Court, making the appointments highly contentious.
Speaking in a video posted to his Facebook page on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, Dalung labelled the action as a "complete disregard for the judicial process." He argued that reinstating officials who have been removed by lower courts, while the nation's apex court is yet to rule on their appeal, amounts to the party pre-empting a judicial decision.
Dalung articulated his strong disapproval: "This action of the party is intended to undermine the integrity of the judiciary and pre-empt the decision on the matter before your lordships at the supreme court. This act is unacceptable to right-thinking Nigerians and lovers of the principles of the rule of law and democracy."
As a barrister of the Supreme Court, Dalung affirmed his refusal to associate himself with any initiative designed to diminish the authority of the judiciary.
Dalung Issues Stern Warning Regarding 2027 Election Prospects
Beyond the legal ramifications, Dalung also raised serious questions concerning the procedural legitimacy of these appointments. He contended that letters of such significant importance should bear the signatures of both the national chairman and the national secretary. He challenged the absence of the national chairman's signature from the official correspondence.
Dalung urgently called upon the party to cancel the planned inauguration of these committees, which was scheduled for Wednesday. He insisted that the party should await the Supreme Court's ruling before proceeding with any further actions. He warned that "Should the party proceed to inaugurate these persons, the consequences are obvious. It means the ADC is not committed to participating in the 2027 elections."
The former minister emphasised that any negative repercussions arising from this move would be self-inflicted by the party. He added, "The party is going to pay dearly for it, and I do not think the supreme court will sympathise with the party because this would amount to the ADC acting as the supreme court of Nigeria and determining what will happen."
He concluded by urging the party leadership to immediately withdraw the controversial appointment letters and allow the Supreme Court to deliver its verdict before implementing any administrative changes at the state level.
Related News: Dalung's Comments on El-Rufai
In a related development, it was previously reported that former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was criticised by Dalung for surrendering himself to security operatives prior to the commencement of his trial. Dalung highlighted this perceived error during an interview, describing it as "El-Rufai's greatest mistake." However, Nigerians largely disagreed with the former minister's assessment, arguing that El-Rufai was in no position to confront security agencies.