Dalung: Buhari said Super Eagles must not go to Russia as spectators

Solomon Dalung, minister of youth and sports, says President Muhammadu Buhari has charged him to ensure the Super Eagles perform well at the World Cup.

Dalung said the president expects the Nigerian national team to continue its successful run in 2018.

The minister made this known at the weekend after a meeting with the president at the presidential villa, Abuja.

“The president encouraged me to, in 2018, sustain the tempo of the successes recorded so far in 2017 especially with the World Cup in Russia,” Dalung said.

“He challenged me to ensure that Nigeria does not go to Russia as a mere spectator.”

Dalung said the government will no longer be solely responsible for the funding of sporting competitions.

“The difference we have in the budgetary allocations this time is that the budget is funded by the government, private sector and the federation. The era where government alone will fund such competition is no more acceptable,” he said.

“There are grants released by organisers to complement efforts of government, this must be declared and included in the budget. And then the monies realised from sponsorships and marketing will also have to be declared to constitute the budget that will be declared for the World Cup.

“So we have a round figure that has been budgeted which is N3 billion but the Nigeria Football Federation will raise about N1.5 billion from what we are getting from FIFA and Corporate Nigeria, the private sector.

“Government is expected to turn in N2 billion or N1.5 billion for the competition. I briefed him (the President) about our plans for 2018 because it is a sports year right from February to August, there is no dull moment.

“Right from CAF African Nations Championship to African Youth Champion in wrestling taking place in Port Harcourt, to Commonwealth Games scheduled for Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, between 4 and 15 April 2018, to Basketball, the World Cup in June and the African Championship of the Athletics Federation in Asaba.

“We need the support of the President as usual and funding as it is required to enable our teams succeed.”