An elder statesman and member of the Board of Trustees of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, on Friday slammed President Muhammadu Buhari over failure to conduct transparent elections in the country. Galadima speaking on ARISE NEWS PRIME TIME programme on Friday, monitored by National Daily from Lagos, was of the view that President Buhari destroyed politics of principle in Nigeria, saying that the president substituted politics of principle with politics of reward. According to Galadima, “Buhari destroyed politics of principle in Nigeria because he conducted elections based on politics of reward; somebody worked for me, so, it is his turn. I wish in my life; I will see transparent election in Nigeria.”
Galadima emphasised that the NNPP presidential candidate, Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, played politics of principle, offered Nigerians quality leadership, rather than using money to buy votes, like some other parties and their candidates. He maintained, that the 2023 general elections “lacked politics of principle; it was a situation of money for hand, back for ground, people even bought chances (party tickets). Vote buying, use of religion and tribe (ethnicity) were noticed.”
Galadima said that the NNPP is deciding for the future, not the immediate, and preparing structures for the future.
He explained that NNPP is not challenging the result of the 2023 presidential election because, after consultation with the party’s candidate, Kwankwaso, they resolved that the doing so will not benefit them.
According to Galadima, “if we go to court and win, the next elections, the big parties – the APC and the PDP – will say they are forming alliance, and they will merge against us and may win. Then, we are back to zero.”
Galadima further protested that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, was against the NNPP from the beginning, obstructing the electioneering activities of the party in the 2023 general elections.
The NNPP Board of Trustees member stated: “INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has been adversary from the beginning. He blocked us; he excluded over 40% of our candidates from the elections. We went to court, and got judgement but he refused to respect the court; we went to Court of Appeal, and got judgement, he did not honour it; he went to the Supreme Court, and our candidates were excluded.”
Galadima further said that INEC did not present the colours of the NNPP clearly on the ballot papers. He stated: “the colours of party logo were not on the ballot papers; the various fruits, even the green-white-green of the Nigerian flag were not clearly printed on the ballot.”
The elder statesman expressed that the INEC did not show to be independent as a neutral institution for election administration in Nigeria. Galadima, therefore, emphasised the need to develop public institutions and ensure they are autonomous in performing their functions.