THE EXIT OF BUBA GALADIMA When I read on some of the national papers that the once vibrant and pro Buhari politician who is mostly quoted pointing accusing fingers at the ruling PDP-Engr. Buba Galadima has dumped the political arena for business as he claimed, I was neither taken aback nor sad by the decision because I have seen this coming since before now. Buba Galadima, though a renowned Nigerian politician, was at one time part of the presidential campaign team of General Buhari in 2003 and 2007 when he (Buhari) was in ANPP and also in 2011 when he contested under the platform of CPC. Galadima along with some others were the backbone of Buhari’s defection from ANPP and the subsequent formation of CPC (2010) where he Buba Galadima emerged as the party’s National Secretary-a position that made him to be part of every decision the party and Buhari takes. Because of Galadima’s influence, one will be right when he says Buba Galadima is one of Buhari’s most trusted persons if not the trusted of them all. The formation of the CPC, though a right step in the right direction to the teaming supporters of Buhari, turned out to be a pitch darkness for Galadima and co. because the events that followed the conception and birth of CPC are what many see as the reasons behind Buba Galadima’s exit from the political arena thus escaping with the remnants of his battered personality. Back in 2010, when the issue of CPC came up, there was the issue of who is going to be who in the newly formed party with many people suggesting different people who they believed can steer the affairs of the party. General Buhari being a party member also nominated his attorney Barr. Mike Ahamba(SAN) to be the party’s National chairman due to his outstanding personality and leadership qualities –a decision which Galadima and co. under the so called conservatives’ platform frowned at. When they confronted Gen. Buhari with their grievances, he asked them to go and discuss and do the right thing-a situation they have been looking forward to. That was when they decided to zone the chairman’s seat to South South thus automatically ruling Ahamba out of the contest and thereby giving room for the emergence of Tony Momoh. To Buhari, it was a welcomed idea because of the trust he has in those guys. Things continued going smoothly under the chairmanship of Momoh until when the issue of primary elections came up-a time Galadima and co. saw as an opportunity to dictate who is going to be who and enrich themselves thereby going against the party’s manifesto and philosophy and ideas of its National leader-Gen. Muhammad Buhari. This move created chaos and a gloomy state among the party’s followers who were not happy with they way things were going on. Unknown to them, the worst was yet to come and it did come during the 2011 general elections. Political analyst and various organizations have forecasted a sweeping victory for CPC especially in its stronghold of Northern Nigeria- a forecast that later turned out to be a dream far from reality as a result of the actions of Galadima and his cronies. As at the time of the 2011 elections, in most states, there was no consensus candidate for in almost all the states, two third (2/3rd) of the aspirants were claiming to be winners and the party’s candidates because the National leadership failed to be sincere and announce the real winners who won the highest votes and who got the people’s mandate. For example, in Kano, Muhammad Abacha who won the election unfortunately was not the favorite of Galadima and as such was denied the ticket only for it to be given to Ja’afaru Isa!!! This made CPC to lose many gubernatorial, legislative as well as the presidential seats/seat. On April 16th, the presidential election was held. When the election was going on, with many people(CPC supporters) on queue under the hard beating sun waiting patiently to exercise their constitutional right of voting as they wanted to make sure they made their voices heard by voting for Buhari who they believed is the panacea to their problems. Galadima and some of the party’s National leadership were sighted at the ASO VILLA having a meeting with PDP’s candidate-President Goodluck Jonathan-a move seen by many as conspiracy and backbiting against Buba’s claim of going to see the president as he(as a citizen) should be answerable to the president of our great nation. This was the greatest blow Buhari has ever thought of getting from people like Galadima and Hanga. After the elections and the protest that accompanied it, there was the CPC convention which later turned to be a mini battlefield as numerous supporters stormed the place not to listen to what the leaders got to say or to sympathize over the failures recorded during the elections but to beat the hell out of Buba and co. Furthermore, one shouldn’t forget what happened back in 2011 when ACN and CPC were trying to go into alliance under the representation of the conservatives-a deadlocked and fruitless effort due to their continued insistence on seeing their selfish interests coming to light. After the convention and the continued call for expulsion of Galadima and co. by the supporters of Buhari, citing conspiracy and selfishness as reasons for the call, Buhari as the chairman BOT of CPC, called for reorientation of the party-a move welcomed and accepted by many. It was at this point that Galadima and his cronies were sidelined as their names failed to appear in any of the committees formed. To Buba and co. this was nothing as they don’t think Buhari can ever sideline them despite all they have done against the party. Moreover, after the reorientation of the party, there came up the issue of merger of the opposition parties (i.e.; CPC, ACN, ANPP and a faction of APGA). The formation of the merger committee where people like El-Rufa’I were part of and the conservatives out, was enough evidence for them to know that their presence is no longer required. This forced them to protest and took measures like threatening not to give the original copy of CPC’s registration certificate as a political party that was issued by INEC but unfortunately for them, it yielded nothing as at the end the committee was inaugurated and asked to start working. This, to the conservatives was seen as a big blow and a slap on their faces and as such made them to step aside and exit the political arena since they know that no one can trust them anymore and can’t even get the usual audience of the presidency talk less of going into bargain because they are no longer the influential people they used to be!!- What used and dumped politicians they turned out to be!!!! So, you see, in order for Galadima and co. to still escape with the remnants of their battered and tattered personality and respect, they took the hard but necessary decision of opting out of the game-with one going to join the governing body of a university and the other saying he is going for business-Kudos to Buhari for such a good job!!!!. My two advices to Buhari is, firstly he (Buhari) should try to reconcile with his true and real supporters i.e. the likes of AVM Mukhtar and his people, Haj. Naja’atu Muhammad, Alh. Sani Zangon Daura and the vibrant senior advocate of Nigeria, Barr. Mike Ahamba only but to mention a few because it is only a true friend and ally that will always stand by you through the thick and thin, believe you when others don’t and pray for your success though you had misunderstandings. Secondly, there are still some people who are the likes of Galadima and as long as they will be allowed to partake in the decisions of the party, they will continue to leave people in the trench e.g. the self acclaimed Dan Marayan Zaki, a former governor and currently a senator from a North Eastern state who is always seen with a red cap, one Sardauna from a Northern state and a former governor from a Northwestern state who enjoys hiding under the pretext of religion to justify his actions and who is recently sighted at the villa when he led a group to see the oga at the top, who people are afraid can make the newly formed APC’s efforts fruitless at the end. With people like Galadima now out of the game, I am calling on the Nigerian masses to come out enmass come 2015 regardless of tribe, religion or region to vote for credible leaders who will steer the affairs of this potentially great nation to success as 2015 is the year of hope, renewal and a time to free our nation from the shackles of modern day slavery, impunity, poverty, corruption, unemployment, poor infrastructures, bad governance, etc. Now, with the registration of the All Progressives congress (APC), I am calling on INEC under the chairmanship of Jega to conduct a free and fair election that will reflect the true interest of the Nigerian populace and to our armed forces to desist from involving themselves in anything that will not allow peace to reign in our country-i.e. to desist from election riggings and election crimes. Finally, we pray to God Almighty to bless our fatherland Nigeria and to guide its leaders and followers right. Usman Muhammad Gama is the Chairman Gloobal Political Research and public Enlightment and he writes from Kano.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 04:14:42 +0000
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