Former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, has dismissed reports linking him with the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the claim as false and deliberately misleading.
Naija News reports that Bafarawa, who resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in January 2025, made the clarification in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, December 18.
He described the allegation of his alleged return to the APC as “entirely false, unfounded and malicious,” stressing that there was no element of truth in it.
The former governor stated emphatically that he was not a member of the APC and had no plans to join the party or any other political platform.
He 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.”
Bafarawa explained that his resignation from the PDP was informed by his decision to dedicate himself fully to youth empowerment and humanitarian service.
“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,” he said.
According to him, the youth empowerment scheme he is championing is aimed at inspiring, empowering and transforming the lives of young Nigerians, whom he described as the bedrock of the nation’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,” he added.
He stressed that his position had not changed, saying, “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 said the speculation about his alleged APC membership may have arisen from the decision of some of his former supporters to join the ruling 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,” he said.
He noted that his supporters were free to associate with any political party of their choice.
“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,” Bafarawa stated.
Why Supporters Joined APC
The former governor said his supporters’ decision to align with the APC was driven by the performance of the current Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, particularly in the area of security.
“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,” Bafarawa said.
Bafarawa also recalled that although he was a founding member of the APC, he withdrew from the party at its formative stage due to irreconcilable differences.
“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,” he said.
He dismissed claims linking him to the party as laughable, saying, “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.”
Naija News reports that Bafarawa served two terms as governor of Sokoto State between 1999 and 2007 and has remained a prominent figure in Nigerian politics.
He was among the founding members of the APC in 2013, a coalition formed to challenge the then-ruling PDP. However, disagreements during the party’s early formation led to his withdrawal before the APC became the ruling party in 2015.
He later returned to the PDP and remained active until his resignation in January 2025, citing his desire to focus on youth empowerment and philanthropic initiatives rather than partisan politics.
Since then, speculation has trailed his political future, especially amid alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.