Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has accused a powerful cabal of hijacking power shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari’s electoral victory in 2015.
Speaking on the Mic On Podcast on Sunday, Dalung explained that a cabal is “a group of ambitious individuals, often appointed by the president, who end up manipulating the presidency to serve their personal interests rather than the public good.”
According to him, shortly after Buhari’s victory, an influential group emerged unexpectedly and sidelined those who had actively campaigned for the president.
Dalung recalled how his access to Buhari was suddenly restricted, an event he described as the moment the cabal took control.
He recounted, “On the day Buhari was declared winner, I went to see him in the evening. To my surprise, I was blocked from entering his house — a house where, just a day earlier, I had stayed until 2 a.m. I had to make several calls before I was finally allowed access. From that day, it became clear that the cabal had taken over.”
Dalung criticized the role of Buhari’s supporters, noting that they went out celebrating, leaving the president exposed to those who “understood power” and had the capacity to take over the administration.
“These people, who understood power, took over and ran the government to their interest until eight years were gone,” he said.
When asked whether Buhari’s administration was influenced by a Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) cabal, Dalung dismissed the idea.
He argued that key CPC figures like Tanko Al-Makura were not part of the group controlling power.
“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,” Dalung stated.
He claimed that the individuals who seized power in Buhari’s administration amassed substantial wealth and influence over the years, becoming some of the most powerful figures in Nigerian politics.
“Of course, they are very, very wealthy, and Nigerians should expect them. They are very powerful,” he added.
On the possibility of a similar situation in President Bola Tinubu‘s administration, Dalung suggested that the dynamics had evolved within the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He described the ruling party as a “sophisticated political machine” and likened it to a “zoo,” reflecting its complexity.
“It is the same APC we formed, but it is now more sophisticated. The party has become a complex political architecture, more like a zoo,” he remarked.
Despite making these bold claims, Dalung said he had no fear of retaliation. He revealed that he had survived over 10 assassination attempts, including one where his car was riddled with bullets by gunmen wielding AK-47 rifles.
“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.
He also shared accounts of previous attempts on his life, including efforts to poison his food and ambushes from armed attackers.
“I am not afraid of death. My mother confirmed to me that I will not leave this planet until the day ordained by God,” Dalung stated.