Nigeria hasn’t qualified for World Cup since I left office — Dalung

Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has defended his record in office, saying Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup since his exit from the ministry shows the impact of his tenure.

“I left records in the Ministry of Youth and Sports that nobody has been able to beat. Since I left the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Nigeria has never qualified for the World Cup,” he said.

He said the Super Eagles’ qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia was achieved largely under his leadership, without what he described as the heavy structures previously required.

“I went, they were not there. I qualified them in 2018 as a minister alone, when before you qualify, you use to have a presidential task force with a budget of N10 billion,” Dalung said.

“But single-handedly I qualified Nigeria with a match to spare and since I left, Nigeria has never smelled that place.”

Reacting to criticisms of his time in office, he challenged those who described his tenure as unsuccessful.

“So, before you say Solomon Dalung performed woefully, what happened that since he left that place Nigeria has not qualified?” he asked.

Dalung described himself as “the most successful minister of youth and sports development,” citing infrastructure projects he said were revived or completed during his tenure.

“The national swimming pool in Lagos stadium was abandoned for 20 years, I renovated it, put it into use and it is being used today,” he said.

He added that other facilities were also restored.

“The paralympic gymnasium in Lagos national stadium was abandoned, I revived it. The basketball indoor court in Lagos, I revived it,” Dalung stated.

He further said he initiated and completed three sports infrastructure projects across the country.

“I built three national mini stadia in Daura, Makurdi and Kano,” he said.

Dalung also claimed he was the only sports minister to complete projects he initiated within the same tenure.

“I was the only minister who started a project in 2016 and completed it in 2018 before I left,” he said.

He concluded with a sarcastic response to ongoing criticism of his record.

“So, all these are woeful performances and I accept it,” Dalung said.