We drafted Buhari into politics to neutralise OPC, says Buba Galadima
Joseph Irikefe
A prominent chieftain of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, has disclosed that former President Muhammadu Buhari’s entry into Nigerian politics was a strategic move by a northern coalition, aimed at countering the perceived threat posed by the Oduduwa Peoples Congress (OPC) at the turn of the millennium as reported by Daily Post.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Tuesday, Galadima revealed that a group of northern stakeholders, concerned about the unchecked actions of the OPC in Ilorin between 1999 and 2000, felt compelled to act after both then-President Olusegun Obasanjo and Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu failed to intervene.
According to Galadima, the OPC’s incursion into Ilorin with a convoy of over 500 vehicles, allegedly to dismantle what it termed “Fulani structures,” was viewed as a direct assault on northern interests. “We thought it was excessive, and we believed the government was turning a blind eye. Some of us felt their silence was a form of encouragement,” he said.
In response, Galadima convened a strategic meeting in Kaduna with 34 others to discuss possible countermeasures. “I told them we had two options—force or the ballot box. We chose the democratic route and considered who could challenge Obasanjo. Buhari came to mind,” he explained.
Though initially reluctant and critical of politics, Galadima said Buhari did not reject the proposal outright, prompting the group to intensify efforts to convince him. Eventually, the former military ruler agreed, and a formal political debut was orchestrated.
Galadima claimed that Buhari’s emergence on the political scene sent shockwaves through the Obasanjo administration, compelling it to rein in the OPC’s activities. “Our mission was accomplished—we neutralized the OPC threat by introducing Buhari into politics,” he concluded.
The revelation sheds new light on the motivations behind Buhari’s political rise and underscores the deeply rooted regional tensions that shaped Nigeria’s political landscape in the early 2000