A former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has revealed the role of cabals in Nigerian governance, alleging that a powerful group hijacked power following President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2015 election victory.
Speaking on Mic On Podcast published 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 their own expense and interest.”
He recounted how, shortly after Buhari’s election, an influential group emerged from “nowhere,” sidelining individuals who had worked tirelessly for the president’s success.
Dalung said, “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.
“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.”
He lamented that those who genuinely supported Buhari “went celebrating” after his victory, leaving the president vulnerable to the cabal.
“These people, who understood power, took over and ran the government to their interest until eight years were gone,” he said.
When questioned about the presence of cabals in President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Dalung suggested that the dynamics within the ruling All Progressives Congress had become more intricate.
“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.
Dalung also refuted claims that Buhari’s administration was controlled by a Congress for Progressive Change cabal. He argued that prominent CPC figures like Tanko Al-Makura were largely sidelined.
“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 explained.
He further alleged that the group accumulated immense wealth and power during Buhari’s tenure.
“Of course, they are very, very wealthy, and Nigerians should expect them. They are very powerful,” Dalung said.
Despite his candid revelations, Dalung expressed no fear of retaliation, stating that he had survived numerous assassination attempts over the years.
“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 recounted.
He detailed other incidents, including ambushes and attempts to poison his food.
“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 added.
