A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Engineer Buba Galadima, has described the proposed presidential alliance between Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as a “healing ticket” capable of restoring national unity and addressing Nigeria’s deep-rooted challenges.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Wednesday, Galadima said members of the Kwankwasiyya movement were backing Obi because they believe a partnership with Kwankwaso offers the strongest path toward rebuilding the country.
“It is our belief that this is the only ticket that can salvage Nigeria. Not only salvage it, but it is a ticket we call the ‘healing ticket,’ designed so that we can forget the past,” Galadima said.
He explained that the alliance was conceived to strengthen the relationship between Northern Nigeria and the South-East, stressing that Obi should be viewed as a national leader rather than a candidate defined by ethnicity.
According to Galadima, the movement has spent more than two years fostering dialogue and mutual understanding between both regions, an effort he said has helped ease tensions and promote national cohesion.
On governance, Galadima revealed that Obi had pledged to prioritise security, agriculture and education if elected president while also involving members of the alliance in implementing solutions to the country’s pressing challenges.
“Peter Obi has agreed that if he becomes the President of Nigeria, he will not only address these three issues personally, but he will make us part of those who will work on these issues,” he said.
Responding to critics of the alliance, Galadima dismissed the attacks on Obi’s supporters, noting that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had also selected running mates from the South-East in previous presidential elections.
He acknowledged that ethnic and religious politics have long fuelled Nigeria’s divisions but insisted that the Obi-Kwankwaso alliance is driven by a vision of national unity rather than sectional interests.
“This ticket is not about Igbos, Hausas, Yorubas, Islam, or Christianity. This ticket is about Nigeria,” he said.
Galadima added that an Obi-Kwankwaso administration would focus on creating jobs, revitalising agriculture, expanding skills acquisition programmes and boosting local manufacturing to stimulate economic growth and reduce unemployment.
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