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Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has come under fire for his remarks suggesting that road construction in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) does not amount to development.
Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, issued a strongly worded statement on Friday condemning Dalung’s comments.
Olayinka described Dalung’s stance as a “distorted exhibition of hatred for Wike and the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu” and questioned the rationale behind his assertion that road projects do not impact the general well-being of citizens.
In a live television appearance, Dalung reportedly claimed that road dualization and construction should not be considered development because “many Nigerians do not own vehicles.”
Olayinka dismissed this as “jaundiced reasoning,” pointing to the former minister’s troubled tenure in the Ministry of Youth and Sports, where Nigeria failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations consecutively.
The spokesperson highlighted the ongoing road projects under Wike’s administration, including the Saburi–Dei Dei Road, 5km Dutse-Usuma Dam Road, and 25km Kwaita/Yebu Road, among others, as examples of initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure across FCT satellite towns.
“It is strange that Dalung would fail to recognize the developmental impact of these projects on communities in Kwali, Bwari, and Gwagwalada Area Councils. Are these roads only useful to those with vehicles? What about the economic and social benefits for everyone?” Olayinka asked.
He also referenced Dalung’s controversial past statements during his ministerial tenure. For instance, when the Super Falcons faced delayed allowance payments in 2016, Dalung remarked that “nobody even knew the team would emerge victorious.”
Similarly, during the Rio Olympics, he dismissed the challenges of the Under-23 soccer team, asking, “Who took them there? Does that become our business?”
Olayinka concluded by suggesting that Dalung’s pattern of making “wild and unreasonable comments” reflects a deeper issue. He called on those close to the former minister to prioritize his mental well-being, stating, “The concern of Nigerians, especially those close to him, should be his mental health, which appears to need urgent attention.”