Seasoned political strategist Buba Galadima, has revealed unknown details about the late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s political journey.
Ahead of Buhari’s funeral Tuesday, Galadima, a former ally of Buhari before they fell apart, revealed the intricate maneuvers and calculated strategies that brought the former military Head of State into the world of partisan politics.
In his tell-all account, Galadima, also a Chieftain of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), told Arise TV that the late Buhari was brought into politics because the Oduduwa Peoples Congress (OPC), between 1999 and 2000, allegedly invaded Ilorin, Kwara State with the sole aim of uprooting what he called Fulani structures.
He claimed that a northern group, including himself, strategically lured Buhari into politics to counter the OPC and its alleged campaign to dismantle Fulani structures.
He added that the idea of Buhari’s political journey was conceived to protect northern interests, particularly those of the Fulani.
Galadima said: “Some of us who recruited Buhari had a mission. And I will reveal that mission today.
“General Buhari came into politics. It was not his province. He never liked the politicians because he believed we are fake and that they did not mean what they said.
“But there was an incident that made some of us recruit him, convince him, and use other people to convince him to join politics, even though we had our own agenda,” Galadima, who was visibly emotional ahead of Buhari’s funeral said.
“In 1999 and 2000, the OPC was on a rampage in some parts of the country, especially the South West, and had inconvenienced a lot of people from this part of the country to the extent that they mobilized over 500 vehicles to come and invade Ilorin with the sole aim of uprooting what they called Fulani structures in Ilorin.
“We felt that was too much, and President Obasanjo was doing nothing. President Bola Tinubu, then Governor of Lagos, was doing nothing. And some of us felt that those groups of people were being encouraged by their leaders in positions of authority. So how do we stop that?
“I called a meeting in Kaduna, about 34 of us, and we sat down to reason. How do we save our people from this OPC menace?
“I suggested that we have to, because you can remove the government in only two ways. The barrel of the gun and through the ballot box. And they said it was impossible to challenge General Obasanjo. That was how Buhari came to our mind.
“And when he was approached, he had very unkind words for politicians. But since he did not say he was not doing it, we still persuaded him.
“To cut a long story short, we achieved our first purpose of putting the brake on what the OPC was doing. Immediately Buhari joined partisan politics, we had a very big outing to initiate him into politics. The Obasanjo government became restive and was shaken to its bone marrow. Obasanjo had to really checkmate the OPC.
“So, for that reason, we achieved our first purpose of bringing General Buhari into partisan politics. The remaining now is history.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that this revelation came after Buhari passed away on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at the age of 82 years.
The former president breathed his last in London, United Kingdom after a prolonged illness which kept him junketing Nigeria and the UK throughout his presidency.
Preparations have already begun for Buhari’s funeral rites.
He will be committed to mother earth in Daura, Katsina State, later today.
