Veteran politician and chieftain of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, has cast doubt on the ability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deliver credible elections under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Galadima accused the ruling government of focusing more on politics than governance, just two years into its tenure. According to him, the early politicking being championed by those in power is already setting the stage for a compromised electoral process.

“In the past, when INEC was truly independent, the commission would step in to caution politicians who tried to jump the gun. Today, INEC doesn’t even dare to warn anybody, because the people in government themselves are the ones heating up the polity,” he lamented.

Galadima stressed that an electoral umpire that cannot caution politicians cannot be trusted to deliver a free and fair election. “If they can’t even tell politicians to stop campaigning before time, how do you expect them to have the courage to conduct a credible election?” he asked.

He hinted that opposition leaders are biding their time but warned that when the right moment comes, “the world will know we are here.”

Galadima’s remarks reflect growing public concerns about the independence of INEC and whether Nigeria’s democracy can withstand the heavy influence of political elites ahead of 2027.