A chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Alhaji Buba Galadima, has fiercely criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting recent by-elections, labelling them as “illegal” and urging the judiciary to invalidate the results.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Galadima explained that INEC had failed to adhere to the constitutional requirement that mandates by-elections be conducted within three months of a declared vacancy. He pointed out that some of the by-elections, including those in Kano, were held as long as two years after the vacancy was declared.
“For example, the election in Kano was delayed by two years. It was an election declared inconclusive by the APC in 2023, and yet here we are, holding a by-election two years later,” he said.
Galadima warned that these delays may lead to legal challenges, stating, “If anyone challenges these elections in court, they will be declared null and void because the constitution is very clear on the timeline. It is not even about the Electoral Act; it is about constitutional compliance.”
He accused Nigerian politicians of opportunism, arguing that many politicians in the country act in their own interest rather than serve the people. Galadima also suggested that there has been deliberate silence surrounding the alleged illegality of the elections.
“There are no politicians in Nigeria. There are only usurpers in politics,” he remarked, adding that this behaviour is perpetuated by the inability of INEC to enforce discipline among political actors.
Galadima further alleged that INEC’s inability to maintain order has rendered it powerless to ensure free and fair elections. “When INEC does not have the strength to hold politicians accountable, how can we expect fair elections?” he asked.
In the case of the recent Kano by-election, Galadima claimed that the NNPP had won overwhelmingly but was robbed of its victory. He accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of manipulating the result in their favour, stating, “We won the elections, but they took one from us. In the constituency, we had 5,600 votes, while the APC had only 265. Yet, they declared themselves the winners.”
The NNPP chieftain also condemned the cancellation of results at the state level, questioning its legality. He pointed out that no electoral law grants the commissioner the power to cancel results that were announced at the polling stations. Galadima alleged that those in power may manipulate the legal system, saying, “They want us to go to court, but they control the courts.”
Despite the setbacks, Galadima defended the leadership of NNPP’s Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, calling him “the strongest political Iroko in the country” for defeating the APC in Kano. He dismissed media reports suggesting Kwankwaso may defect to the ruling party, calling them “fabrications.”
In another bold accusation, Galadima claimed that the Federal Government is using security forces to destabilise Kano, particularly in the ongoing controversy surrounding the emirate system. He asserted that the political instability in the state is being exacerbated by external interference.
Galadima also took aim at Nigeria’s political elders, stating that their influence is now more about money and power than wisdom or seniority. He argued that in Kano, traditional rulers have never been decisive in influencing election outcomes. “Emirs in Kano never helped anyone from 1954 to date in any election,” he declared, emphasizing that the true drivers of electoral success in the region are “radicalism and change.”
