Buba Galadima Reflects on Buhari’s Legacy and Their Political Journey

n July 16, 2025, Alhaji Buba Galadima, a prominent chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and former close associate of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, shared his reflections on Buhari’s life and legacy in an interview with Vanguard. Expressing shock at Buhari’s death on July 13, 2025, in London, Galadima described the news as unexpected despite Buhari’s known health struggles, noting their 15-year collaboration that began in 1975 when Buhari was military governor of the old Northeastern State. He recounted their joint efforts in forming The Buhari Organisation (TBO), a platform that propelled Buhari to national prominence, alongside figures like Alhaji Sule Yahya Hamma and the late Air Vice Marshal Mukhtar Mohammed. Galadima highlighted their divergence after Buhari’s 2015 presidential victory due to internal conflicts orchestrated by politically motivated individuals, leading to his sidelining. Despite this, he maintained respect for Buhari, adhering to African cultural norms against speaking ill of the dead, and prayed for his soul, forgiving any past infractions.

Galadima portrayed Buhari as a humble, trustworthy patriot who loved Nigeria’s poor and resisted external pressures, such as from the IMF and World Bank, but criticized his excessive delegation and lack of supervision, which allowed others to exploit his trust. He revealed that Buhari’s entry into politics in 2003 was a strategic move by northern leaders, including himself, to counter the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) threat in Ilorin, where the group aimed to disrupt Fulani structures. Galadima explained that after former President Olusegun Obasanjo and then-Lagos Governor Bola Tinubu failed to act, he and 34 others persuaded a reluctant Buhari, who distrusted politicians, to join politics, successfully curbing the OPC’s actions. Despite their later fallout, Galadima cherished their shared history, emphasizing Buhari’s legacy of humility, patriotism, and discipline, while noting his ongoing book project will critically assess Buhari’s policies but not his character.