Buhari’s administration divided by three competing cabals, says Dalung

By Kunle Sanni –

Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has said that late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was dominated by three different cabals operating within the government. Contrary to popular belief, these power blocs were not united and were often openly hostile to one another.

Dalung made the assertion on Sunday in a statement, describing it as a reaction to renewed attempts by former aides and beneficiaries of the Buhari administration to redefine and sanitise the legacy of the late president following his exit from office in 2023 and his death earlier this year.

According to Dalung, power under Buhari was neither centralised nor harmonised. Instead, it was fractured among three internal cabals that constantly competed for influence, access, and control of decision-making around the president.

He identified the groups as a political cabal led by the late Chief of Staff; a family-based cabal linked to the first lady; and an inner caucus of aides coordinated through the president’s personal assistant, Tunde Sabiu. Dalung said these groups coexisted uneasily within the presidency, driven by suspicion, rivalry, and mutual hostility.

“Buhari’s government did not just have three cabals; the cabals were hostile among themselves,” Dalung said, noting that their internal battles often paralysed governance.

Despite their rivalry, Dalung said the cabals were quick to unite whenever a perceived outsider threatened their collective hold on power. He claimed he became a frequent target of this alliance because of his direct and unrestricted access to the President, which unsettled entrenched interests within the Villa.

The former minister recalled being repeatedly blocked from accessing Buhari through official channels, including ignored letters requesting appointments. He added that the president later admitted that such requests were routinely intercepted and advised him to seek informal access after Federal Executive Council meetings.

Dalung traced the early roots of the hostility between the cabals to disputes over control of resources and influence within the Presidential Villa, particularly the management of the Villa’s feeding and maintenance budget. He said this struggle set the tone for years of internal conflict that left the administration consumed by power battles rather than governance.