2027: Tinubu govt not willing to conduct free, fair election, Buba Galadima warns
A chieftain of the New Nigerian People’s Party, NNPP, Buba Galadima, has accused President Bola Tinubu of being unwilling to conduct free and fair elections in 2027.
Mr Galadima also warned that the country was heading towards a civil war if a certain controversial former judge of the Court of Appeal is appointed as the next chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Mr Galadima said the retired judge, whose name he did not mention, has been penciled down to replace the outgoing INEC Chairman Mahmoud Yakaubu.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Monday, Mr Galadima also alleged that the Tinubu administration was working tirelessly to destabilise the opposition parties in Nigeria.
“Come November, there are rumours all over the place that this government is nominating a just-retired court of appeals judge who is known for notoriety to be the chairman of INEC. 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 in this country,” he said.
The NNPP stalwart also accused the current administration of having no regard for the rule of law.
“So, you can see that this government has no respect for the rule of law. And we cannot be in a country where the government does not respect the law,” he lamented.
Mr Galadima extended his criticism to the current leadership of INEC, alleging that the electoral body has already been compromised in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
He said: “The INEC chairman has already rigged the election for APC. They brought somebody that is the secretary of the party that went to court for APC as acting national chairman, and he was rewarded with chairman of INEC.”
Mr Galadima argued that such developments pose a direct threat to the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system and warned of dire consequences if the alleged plan goes forward.
“If this man is appointed INEC chairman, then forget about elections in Nigeria. Because there would be no elections in this country, and it will create chaos,” he warned.
On the alleged plot to destabilise the opposition, Mr Galadima said, “This government is not ready to organise a free and fair election. From their antics and how they are destabilising parties, that suggests they don’t want an opposition at all for the election,” he said.
“I want to assure them that there will be opposition, and if they don’t change their style of governance, they will lose this election.”
Mr Galadima described Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano, as the “generalissimo” of Nigerian politics, who, given a free and fair election, will always win Kano.
“Kwankwaso is the generalissimo of Nigeria’s politics because he is the only one, come rain, come shine, who, if there is a free and fair election, will deliver the most populous state in Nigeria,” he said.
