Former ally-turned-critic of the late Muhammadu Buhari, Buba Galadima, says he has forgiven the ex-President for everything he did to him during their political fallout.
Galadima, who played a pivotal role in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was one of the signatories to the historic merger that birthed the party in 2013, had been a vocal supporter of Buhari’s presidential ambition — and later, one of his most scathing critics.
As the former National Secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Galadima once stood firmly beside Buhari during his quest for the presidency. But following their split, he did not hold back in his condemnation of Buhari’s leadership, even going as far as calling him “the greatest fraud to have happened to Nigeria.”
In an interview prior to Buhari’s death, Galadima lambasted political figures flocking to the former president’s residence, likening the visits to a “pilgrimage to Mecca”, and branding both APC loyalists and opposition figures as “useless people who can’t differentiate between their left and right.”
However, the tone shifted following the news of Buhari’s death in London on Sunday, July 14, 2025, where he had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
Speaking in Hausa shortly after the announcement, Galadima said:
“…I forgive Buhari for everything he has done to me in life…”
His statement has sparked widespread reaction, especially in light of his previously harsh critiques. It also marks a notable moment of reflection and reconciliation, as Nigeria mourns the loss of its former leader.
Buhari is scheduled to be buried on Tuesday in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State. Vice President Kashim Shettima is currently leading a Nigerian delegation in London to accompany the late president’s remains back home.
