ABUJA – The rift between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) escalated on Tuesday as Chief Oliver Okpala, a senior aide to former APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, launched a sharp verbal attack on NNPP chieftain Buba Galadima.
In a statement, Okpala described Galadima as a “television politician” lacking a local political base, and urged him to stop his “media antics” and focus on the development of his home state.
The feud follows Galadima’s recent claims that Ganduje disrespected former President Muhammadu Buhari, which he alleged led to Ganduje’s “disgrace” and his inability to install a successor in Kano State during the 2023 elections.
Okpala vehemently denied these allegations, calling them “mischievous fabrication” and defending Ganduje’s record. “Dr. Ganduje is a nationalist known for his high level of political decorum and discipline. It is laughable that such accusations are coming from someone who has never contested or won an election in his life,” he said.
He highlighted Ganduje’s accomplishments, noting that the former governor served two full terms in Kano State, leaving behind a “sprawling legacy” of infrastructure and social development. Okpala also dismissed claims that Ganduje used security forces to hinder the NNPP in 2023, describing the former governor as “a democrat with towering records of excellence.”
On Galadima’s use of Buhari’s name, Okpala said the NNPP leader is attempting to “curry favour” and pointed out that Buhari had reportedly “dumped Galadima like trash” in the past. He further criticized Galadima’s political style, calling him a “sadistic personality” who approaches national issues negatively.
Okpala argued that Galadima’s failure to transition into a respected elder statesman is “a major bane” for Nigerian politics. “Buba Galadima has always been a harbinger of wrong political narratives. He has refused to mature. His trade is in blackmail, but he should be reminded that the people of Kano cherish Ganduje as a political leading light,” he added.
He concluded by urging elder politicians to embrace political rectitude to leave a clean political space for younger generations.
Leave a comment