A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Buba Galadima, has claimed that 34 and a half state governors are already aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential poll.
Galadima made the assertion during the inauguration of the party’s national reconciliation committee, where he offered a stark assessment of the political landscape. According to him, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde stands alone as the only governor who has openly distanced himself from both the ruling party and the opposition coalition.
The NDC stalwart described Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed as the “half” governor, citing his indecision over whether to throw his weight behind the ruling party or the opposition. Galadima disclosed that Mohammed had met with NDC stakeholders in the early hours, appearing willing to collaborate with the coalition, only to withdraw his support by morning.
“Mohammed is half, because Bala Mohammed met with us after the wee hours of the night, 3:00 a.m. We parted; we were both at the NDC together. Just for him in the morning to call that he has rescinded his decision, that he was advised not to go into any party with a strong presidential candidate,” Galadima explained.
He added that the Bauchi governor remains on the fence and could still pivot in either direction. “So, it means Bala Mohammed is on the fence. He may work with us; he may work with them. That’s why he’s half, as far as I’m concerned,” he said.
Galadima further argued that the ruling party holds a structural advantage, wielding the authority to manage competing ambitions through negotiation and compensation. The opposition, he contended, must rely more heavily on persuasion, patriotism and a collective resolve to challenge the current administration.
“If you are in power, you have the authority to say, look, we are only fielding this man; all of you step down. Or they can compensate you. We have nothing to compensate anybody, except we reason, except patriotism, that we need to salvage this country,” he stated.