Galadima Reveals Buhari Was Drafted to Halt OPC and Preserve Fulani Power Interests
Prominent Northern politician Buba Galadima has stirred nationwide debate with a striking revelation that former President Muhammadu Buhari was drafted into politics not for national reforms but to curtail the rising influence of the O’odua Peoples Congress (OPC) and safeguard Fulani dominance, particularly in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Galadima made the remarks during a television appearance and interviews reported by multiple media outlets. He explained that in the early 2000s, OPC activities, which included a widely reported attempt to mobilize over 500 vehicles towards Ilorin, triggered fears among Northern leaders.
The OPC, then a Yoruba self-determination force, was perceived as a growing threat to Fulani structures in the region. Galadima said President Olusegun Obasanjo and Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu failed to respond adequately, prompting key Northern actors to convene in Kaduna to develop a counterstrategy. That strategy led to Buhari’s reluctant but historic entry into partisan politics.
According to Galadima, the primary objective of bringing Buhari into the political fold was to “stop the OPC.” He emphasized that this decision was made by a small group of about 34 Northern elites who felt endangered by the activities of Yoruba separatist groups.
The group believed Buhari could serve as a unifying force to preserve their regional interests. He recalled how shortly after Buhari entered politics, the OPC’s actions were curtailed, and the Obasanjo administration was forced to act, including issuing arrest orders for key OPC leaders.
The revelation has lent credence to arguments raised in a recent op-ed by journalist Adewale Adeoye, who wrote that Nigeria’s post-independence leadership has often been shaped by covert ethnic and regional power calculations.
Adeoye argued that the Northern ruling elite, especially the Fulani oligarchy, have long exerted strategic control over state power, often choosing presidents not for their national vision but for ethnic preservation.
Buhari’s presidency, the op-ed contends, was never primarily about anti-corruption or security reforms, but about executing a hidden agenda aimed at weakening self-determination movements, particularly in the South-West. The implications of this, according to Adeoye, were evident in Buhari’s appointments, policy decisions, and soft approach to violent herdsmen during his administration. These actions, he argued, aligned with a broader effort to reinforce Fulani dominance across Nigeria’s power structures.
Galadima’s account also raises questions about the sincerity of alliances that led to the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He stated that many of Buhari’s political partners at the time including leaders from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP)vwere unaware of the inner northern agenda behind Buhari’s candidacy. As a result, his campaign promises may have masked deeper political motivations.
Observers have noted that this revelation exposes a recurring pattern in Nigeria’s political history where a small clique, often representing narrow ethnic interests, decides the country’s leadership trajectory. Analysts warn that unless Nigeria confronts its unresolved “national question” the imbalance of ethnic power, lack of regional autonomy, and mistrust among its diverse populations the country’s democracy may continue to be undermined by such backdoor maneuverings.
Galadima’s disclosure has sparked widespread public reaction, with many calling for a national dialogue to revisit the foundational issues fueling ethnic competition and political instability. Others fear that these revelations might deepen mistrust between Nigeria’s regions, especially as the country heads toward another election cycle.
