Ex- President MUHAMMADU BUHARI’s Minister Drops Shocking Information About His Administration, Says His Governance Was Hijacked
Solomon Dalung, a former Minister of Youth and Sports, has spoken out about the role of cabals in Nigerian governance, claiming that a powerful group took control following President Muhammadu Buhari’ s victory in 2015. In an interview on the Mic On Podcast released on Sunday, Dalung defined a cabal as ” a group of ambitious people who were also appointed by the same president to help him govern but they will run his presidency at his expense and interest. ”
The former minister further revealed that shortly after President Buhari’ s election, a powerful group seemingly appeared ” from nowhere” and quickly sidelined those who had supported and campaigned for the president. Reflecting on the experience, Dalung recalled, ” When the president was declared winner, I was with him in his office. I went to see him in the evening. That very day, I was blocked from going into his house, and this was the same place as the last night of the previous day, I was there till 2 a. m. ”
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He continued, ” I was blocked until I had to make calls before I was allowed to go in till I was able to make calls to assess Buhari before I was allowed. So, from that day, the cabal had taken over. ”
Dalung also criticized the situation, highlighting how the true supporters of Buhari were caught up in celebrations and neglected to maintain their involvement in the president’ s affairs. He pointed out, ” These people, who understood power, took over and ran the government to their interest until eight years were gone. ”
He explained that CPC stalwarts, like Tanko Al- Makura, were not central figures in the power structure. ” The CPC did not succeed in having a cabal. Instead, the government was hijacked by people who were not politicians but ‘ like bandits who laid an ambush’ immediately after Buhari’ s victory, ” he said, emphasizing that those who seized control were not traditional political players. Dalung also alleged that this group had accumulated immense wealth and power over time.
” Of course, they are very, very wealthy, and Nigerians should expect them. They are very powerful, ” he added, warning that the influence of these individuals had become a dominant force in Nigerian politics. Despite his candid revelations about the power struggles within Nigerian politics, Solomon Dalung expressed no fear of retribution, emphasizing his resilience in the face of numerous threats to his life. ” I’ ve been into the struggle for 40 years. I’ ve survived more than 10 assassination attempts.
” There was a time five people carrying AK- 47s sprayed my car, and I am still alive, ” he said, reflecting on the dangers he had faced over the years. Dalung went on to detail some of the most harrowing incidents where his life was directly targeted, including being ambushed and even poisoned. ” There were several times when they laid ambushes for me. Some tried to poison my food, but I survived it all, ” he revealed, underlining the lengths to which his enemies had gone to.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari’ s style of administration was characterized by a focus on discipline, anti- corruption, and national security.
He approached governance with a strong military background, which shaped his no- nonsense approach to leadership. His emphasis on restoring order and accountability in government was central to his tenure, often prioritizing the fight against corruption through policies like the establishment of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA). Buhari’ s administration also placed significant importance on national security, particularly in addressing the insurgency of Boko Haram in the Northeast, as well as the increasing wave of banditry and other security challenges across the country.
His government worked to strengthen the military and security forces, but it also faced criticism for not doing enough to curb the rising insecurity in various regions. Buhari adopted a relatively conservative and austere approach to economic management. While he inherited a period of economic downturn, particularly due to the drop in oil prices, his administration focused on diversifying the economy, promoting agriculture, and encouraging local production through initiatives such as the Anchor Borrowers’ Program.