By our reporter
Northern elder and chieftain of opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, has sounded alarm bells of a possible “civil war” in the country should a particular retired Judge of the Court of Appeal be appointed Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to oversee the critical 2027 general elections.
The 2027 elections will see President Bola Tinubu most likely run for re-election even as a rainbow coalition of political heavyweights from across the country,is ranged against him, to unseat him from Aso Rock, the seat of power, amidst accusations of non-performance, hunger in the land, joblessness, worsening insecurity, crash in the value of the national currency, the Naira, and other pains.
Some of the heavyweights include former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, now in the African Democratic Congress (ADC); 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi; former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; former Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi; former Senate President, David Mark; Tinubu’s estranged close ally and former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola; and many others.
It is believed that Tinubu’s political future is at stake in the elections, should he run or not.
Though Galadima did not names names, checks by People&Politics showed that among the retired judges who fall within the timeframe he spoke of are Justice Zainab A. Bulkachuwa, the Appeal Court’s first female president, who bowed out in March 2020; Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okojie, who retired in September,2025, and others.
Galadima warned of unrest, if the Tinubu administration presses on with an alleged plan to make such appointment.
Fielding questions on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Monday, the elder statesman said there were widespread rumours that the government was considering the appointment of the retired judge, whom he alleged was “notorious.”
Galadima said: “Come November, there are rumours all over the place that this government is nominating a just retired Court of Appeal judge who is known for notoriety to be the Chairman of INEC.
“I wish it is not true. Because if that man becomes the Chairman of INEC, be rest assured that this government is inviting a civil war in this country.”
The elder statesman accused the Tinubu administration of not playing by the nation’s law books, alleging further that INEC under its Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, was slanted to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
To Galadima, INEC has already rigged election 2027 in favour of the ruling party.
Galadima alleged: “The INEC Chairman has already rigged the election for APC.
“They brought somebody that is the Secretary of the party that went to court for APC as acting National Chairman, and he was rewarded with Chairman of INEC.”
According to him, such developments threaten the credibility and integrity of the nation’s electoral system.
“If this man is appointed INEC Chairman, then forget about elections in Nigeria. Because there would be no elections in this country, and it will create chaos,” he warned.
He urged Nigerians to be vigilant, insisting that individuals with questionable records be not allowed to oversee the nation’s electoral processes and collective future.
PHOTO CAPTION: Galadima.
