A prominent figure in the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, has revealed that he turned down a request from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to serve in his administration.
Galadima, speaking during a recent interview on African Independent Television (AIT), stated that President Tinubu personally approached him on four separate occasions during the funeral of the mother of media mogul Nduka Obaigbena. Despite the persistent requests, Galadima said he respectfully declined.
The seasoned politician explained that his decision was based on a sense of personal integrity and the belief that he might not be able to provide President Tinubu with honest and critical feedback if he were part of the administration.
“Perhaps due to the closeness between us, I felt I wouldn’t be able to look him in the eye and speak the truth if I accepted the appointment,” Galadima said. “At Obaigbena’s mother’s burial, President Tinubu got up from his seat and walked up to me on four different occasions to ask that I work with him. But I declined each time.”
Despite his vocal opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its policies, Galadima acknowledged that he shares a longstanding personal relationship with President Tinubu. He also recounted a gesture of goodwill from the President, revealing that his daughter secured employment at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) through Tinubu’s influence.
The NNPP chieftain’s comments shed light on the complex dynamics of Nigerian politics, where personal relationships often cross party lines, even amidst ideological disagreements.
