Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, the former governor of Sokoto State, has denied joining the All Progressives Congress.
Bafarawa, who resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party in January 2025, said this in a statement released to journalists on Thursday.
He labeled the charge as completely untrue, unjustified, and malicious, claiming that it contained no truth.
According to him, despite being a founding member of the APC, he resigned due to concerns that developed during the party’s establishment.
The former governor said, “Let me state, without equivocation, that I have not joined the APC and have no intention of joining the party whatsoever. I also have no intention of joining any other political party. It should be recalled that I, on the 8th of January, 2025, resigned my membership of the PDP.
“I did not just leave the former ruling party; I declared then that my decision was informed by my commitment to a new chapter of service, which focuses on uplifting humanity through youth empowerment. I did emphasize then that the youth empowerment scheme is a movement that seeks to inspire, empower, and transform the lives of our young ones, who are the bedrock of our country’s future.
“To ensure that there is no conflict of interest in my pursuit and discharge of this lofty objective, I considered it imperative to withdraw from any form of political affiliation. Let me restate, for the avoidance of doubt, that nothing has changed. I remain committed to the task of creating avenues for youth empowerment, fostering innovation, and promoting values that build a prosperous future for all.
Bafarawa added that misconceptions about his alleged APC membership likely arose because some of his supporters had joined the party.
“Perhaps what is being misconstrued in some quarters as my belongingness to the APC is the fact that my erstwhile supporters have joined the political party. The point must be made that my supporters, whether young or old, still have the right of freedom of association.
“My decision to withdraw from partisan politics is strictly mine, not theirs. If I am tired and retired, they are neither tired nor retired. They are therefore free to join any political party or association, just as a good number of them have now joined the APC. But it is important to note that my supporters did not join the APC for the sake of it.
“Their action is driven by the good works of the governor of Sokoto State, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, especially in the area of security. Their support for and collaboration with the governor will promote peace. As a peace-loving man, I stand for any action that promotes peace. I therefore support their move.
“For those who do not know, I was a founding member of the APC but had to quit the party at its very early stages owing to some irreconcilable differences that crept in at that time. In fact, I find it laughable that I am being associated with a political party whose meetings I never attended. How can I be a member of APC without attending its meetings? The story reads very much like the handiwork of mischief makers,” he concluded.
Bafarawa served two terms in office from 1999 to 2007 and is still a powerful force in Nigerian politics. In 2013, he was one of the founding members of the APC, which merged key opposition groups to oppose the Peoples Democratic Party, which was then in power.
However, internal conflicts during the early phases of the party’s development prompted Bafarawa’s choice to leave the APC before it became Nigeria’s ruling party in 2015.
Bafarawa then rejoined the PDP and remained active in the party until his departure in January 2025, expressing a desire to prioritize youth empowerment and philanthropic efforts over political politics.
Since his resignation, there has been some conjecture in political circles that he may return to partisan politics, especially given the realignment of political forces ahead of the 2027 general election.
This has included social media rumors and unsubstantiated accusations alleging his membership in several political parties, including the APC.
