Buba Galadima, a chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has claimed that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar won the 2019 presidential election but was denied victory.
Galadima, who made the claim in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today monitored by The News Chronicle, insisted that he was so convinced of Atiku’s victory that he was prepared to swear by the Holy Quran.
“Atiku won the election in 2019, but it was taken away from him, I can bet my life; I can swear by the Holy Quran,” Galadima said.
The claim revisits the long-running controversy surrounding the February 23, 2019 presidential election, in which Atiku, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenged the declaration of then-President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner.
According to the official results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Buhari polled 15,191,847 votes, while Atiku secured 11,262,978 votes.
Atiku and the PDP subsequently challenged the outcome at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, alleging irregularities and manipulation of the electoral process.
The tribunal dismissed the petition, while the Supreme Court later upheld Buhari’s victory.
Galadima, however, has consistently maintained that the official result did not reflect what he believed was the actual outcome of the election.
His latest assertion echoes statements he made during the 2019 election litigation, when he served as one of the witnesses presented by Atiku and the PDP before the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.
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During the proceedings, Galadima rejected suggestions that his opposition to Buhari was motivated by personal grievances, maintaining that his disagreement with the former president was based on what he described as injustice and failures in governance.
He had also publicly alleged in 2019 that Atiku won the election and challenged Buhari and APC leaders to swear by the Quran or Bible that the election was not rigged.
Galadima’s latest comments came in the course of his discussion on the 2027 presidential election and the political alliance involving former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.
He expressed confidence in the prospects of the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket, saying they would win if the 2027 election is conducted freely, fairly and credibly.
“Peter Obi and Kwankwaso will win this election if it is free, fair, and credible unless there is someone with a machinery willing to take it away from them,” he said.
Galadima described Obi and Kwankwaso as politicians with complementary political strengths, saying their alliance represented what he called a “healing ticket.”
He also dismissed concerns that differences between the two politicians could undermine their alliance, insisting that they remained close and were working together.
The NDC chieftain further weighed in on the debate over fuel subsidy, questioning promises by some opposition politicians to restore the subsidy if elected.
He urged Nigerians to examine politicians’ previous positions before accepting such promises.
Galadima also criticised the Tinubu administration over what he described as continued government expenditure on fuel-related support despite the removal of the petrol subsidy.
His comments come as political parties and opposition groups intensify preparations for the 2027 presidential election, with the future of the opposition alliance and its choice of presidential candidate remaining major issues in Nigeria’s emerging political contest.
