A chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, has said the Tinubu administration is not ready to conduct a free and fair election in 2027.
Galadima stated this during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time.
He said the ruling has captured state institutions to its advantage.
He said, “This government is not ready to organize a free and fair election. From their antics, you know how they’re destabilizing the parties. That suggests that they don’t want an opposition at all during the election.”
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According to Galadima, there are rumors that the president is planning to appoint a controversial figure to head INEC.
Galadima warned against such, saying it could destabilise the country or lead to another “civil war”.
He said, “I wish it is not true, because if that man becomes the chairman of INEC, be rest assured that this government is inviting a civil war.”
Responding to issues on early campaigns by political parties, he faulted INEC for failing to enforce campaign regulations.
“This issue of campaigning before being allowed by INEC was started by the government of the day. That suggests that INEC cannot be an umpire in a political environment as we have today,” he said, adding that opposition parties “fell into the trap” of the APC by joining early campaigns.
Also, on recent by-elections, Galadima dismissed APC’s claimed victories, citing Kano and Zamfara as examples where “security forces intimidated voters”.
He added, “They didn’t win a single one. They announced themselves as winners. In Bagwai/Shanono federal constituency, we scored 16,000 against APC’s 5,000. In another senatorial district, NNPP scored over 5,700 while APC scored only 265.
“Over 30,000 soldiers were drafted to Zamfara for five polling units elections. People were beaten up, people were maimed by the military and sacked. And they wrote the results for themselves and announced it.”
On the strength of the NNPP, Galadima argued that its leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has unmatched political weight.
“Kwankwaso is the generalissimo of Nigerian politics because he is the only one that, come rain, come shine, if there is a free and fair election, he will deliver the most popular state in Nigeria,” he said.
He dismissed reports that Kwankwaso had met President Bola Tinubu recently.
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“Kwankwaso never saw Tinubu after Paris when he was forming his government. This talk is only to bring him down. How can you work for somebody who declares you an enemy?” he said, adding that NNPP expelled members who engaged in such “hobnobbing” without party approval.
On political alliances, Galadima said selfishness among opposition figures was preventing unity.
“I could have wished all of us could come together to save the country. But all of them, all of us in Nigeria know who and who can be combined to win the election. Are we ready to do that?” he asked.
He welcomed reported talks between former President Goodluck Jonathan and Labour Party’s Peter Obi, saying, “If they can put their heads together and bring out one person, you can see how the whole country will fall in line because it is a political strategy to get us out of this hardship.”
Rejecting zoning and regional politics, Galadima said, “I don’t believe in north and south politics. The best Nigerian, irrespective of where he comes from, even if he comes from the most minute tribe, should be president.”
Galadima also backed the proliferation of political parties, saying Nigeria should not be restricted in number.
