CLOSEUP: Galadima, signatory to APC merger and activist who has been ‘detained at least 38 times’

On Wednesday, Buba Galadima, a former member of the board of trustees (BoT) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and one-time ally of President Muhammadu Buhari led some aggrieved members to form a faction known as Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC).

In his inaugural address as head of the new faction, Galadima described Buhari’s government as a “monumental disaster”. Aside being a major stakeholder of the ruling party, Galadima is known as a restless activist. His involvement in the murky waters of politics didn’t take that part off him as he has continued to stir controversies with his critical opinions. In an interview with LEADERSHIP, the politician said he had been been arrested, detained and harassed for at least 38 times.

“Throughout my political life, the world knew that I always stood by my words, even when I am at the mercy of security agencies. No politician has ever suffered the kind of calamities I went through in this country, because I was arrested, detained and harassed for about 38 times. I have never changed, even under such a pitiable conditions, I stood my ground,” he had said.

There’s more to the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) trained engineer than the constant vituperations and agitations.

FORMER ASSOCIATE OF BUHARI

A native of Gashua in Yobe state, Galadima worked closely with Buhari in the 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015 general elections. He was the national secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), a party Buhari formed few months to the 2011 elections.

After the 2007 presidential election, Galadima, who was the national campaign secretary of The Buhari Organisation (TBO), claimed that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was trying to frame Buhari with false claims about the sources of his campaign funds.

A SIGNATORY TO THE APC MERGER

In the buildup to the 2015 general election, aggrieved members of PDP and other parties merged to form the APC.

Galadima was one of the nine signatories who endorsed the merger agreement between the three political parties – Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) – that came together with a faction of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to form APC.

FELL OUT WITH THE PRESIDENT

Few years after the emergence of Buhari, Galadima became critical of his policies and government. In an interview, he said the president might be alone in 2019 elections. He accused the president of using him to actualise his presidential ambition and dumping him later.

“Look, the fact is that Mr. President is handling lots of serious jobs; somebody who wants to change Nigeria, somebody who wants to crush corruption, somebody who wants to fight insecurity, and then the economy is dwindling. How can he have time to go and be talking on the party?” he said in an interview with Daily Trust.

In another interview, he said, “Show me the promise made by Buhari that has been fulfilled. That he would make a litre of petrol N45? We will ask him when the time comes. He said he would make a naira equivalent to a dollar, we will ask him. Then we will know whether he lives by his word.”

In 2003, Galadima said it was time to quit active politics but 15 years later, he is playing a major role in the political terrain.

“I have done my best. I am out of active politics. Every human being is a political animal. I have made my contribution let others take off from where I stopped,” he had said.

Perhaps he had a change of mind.