Former Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, has shared what he told the late President Muhammadu Buhari before the 2019 elections. In an interview with Trust TV, Dalung revealed that he had a dream in 2018 about Buhari’s political future.
He said the dream showed Buhari fighting alone against a great army, which made him concerned. After the dream, Dalung visited Buhari and asked if he planned to contest again in the 2019 presidential election. Buhari didn’t answer, but Dalung still gave his advice.
“I told him, Your Excellency, I wouldn’t want you to contest the 2019 elections. Instead, retire and become the Nelson Mandela of Nigeria,” Dalung said.
He explained that Buhari could still win the election if he chose to run, but warned that the victory would come with heavy challenges. According to Dalung, the fight after the election would be so tough that if Buhari wasn’t careful, he could lose control and end up as just a figurehead president—someone with a title but little power.
Dalung also warned that by the time Buhari would leave office in 2023, many poor Nigerians—people who once believed strongly in him—might feel disappointed.
“At the mention of your name, the poor will cry, saying this man was once our president but left us with pain,” he added.
