Stop MariaDb server
sudo systemctl stop mariadb
Restart DB without permission checking - more
sudo mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables --skip-networking &
mysql -u root
enter password
reload the grant tables
Mariadb[MYSQL]> FLUSH PRIVILEGES
insert into user (Host, User, Password, Select_priv, Insert_priv, Update_priv, Delete_priv, Create_priv, Drop_priv, Reload_priv, Shutdown_priv, Process_priv, File_priv, Grant_priv, References_priv, Index_priv, Alter_priv, Show_db_priv, Super_priv, Create_tmp_table_priv, Lock_tables_priv, Execute_priv, Repl_slave_priv, Repl_client_priv, Create_view_priv, Show_view_priv, Create_routine_priv, Alter_routine_priv, Create_user_priv, ssl_type, ssl_cipher, x509_issuer, x509_subject, max_questions, max_updates, max_connections, max_user_connections)
values('localhost','root','','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','','','','','0','0','0','0');
Then restart database
sudo systemctl start mariadb
I hope this works for you. it did work for me.
You can explore answers on Grant privileges on MariaDB