In a significant political realignment in Sokoto State, a major bloc of loyalists to former Governor Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa has officially left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Key Defectors and Collective Decision
The movement includes Hon. Sagir Bafarawa, who was the PDP's deputy governorship candidate during the 2023 general elections. The group's chairman, Professor Muhammad Hamza Maishanu Yabo, announced the switch on Wednesday, December 18, 2025. He explained that the choice to join the APC was a collective one, reached after several months of extensive consultations among members.
Professor Yabo stated their primary objective is to support the administration of Governor Ahmed Aliyu and work actively to ensure his re-election in 2027. He credited the governor's performance and character as the main reasons for their defection.
Praise for Governor Aliyu's Leadership
"This decision was taken because of Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s resilience in delivering dividends of democracy to the people of Sokoto and the dignity and humility with which he treats our principal," Yabo said. He further noted that since Bafarawa was a key co-founder of the APC, his followers are now aligning with that original political legacy by backing the state government.
Bafarawa's Stance as an Elder Statesman
In a related development, the former governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, clarified his personal position. He declared that he has retired from active partisan politics and now considers himself an elder statesman. "Since quitting the PDP, I announced my retirement from active politics and distanced myself from taking any political appointment," he stated.
Bafarawa explained that he now focuses on offering opinions on national issues. He acknowledged that while he has thousands of supporters with political ambitions across Sokoto, he has consistently informed them of his non-active status.
"They sought to know where my focus is, and I told them clearly that I am no longer in active politics. When they insisted and, based on their own convictions, decided to join the APC, I told them that wherever they choose to be politically, I would always wish them well," Bafarawa explained.
He expressed his willingness to support their choice and praised Governor Aliyu for his loyalty and respect, stating he would be "the last person in the state to oppose" the governor.
A Legacy of Mentoring Sokoto Leaders
Reflecting on his long political career spanning about five decades, Bafarawa recalled his role in mentoring several individuals who later became governors of the state. He listed Yahaya Abdulkareem, Aliyu Wamakko, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and the incumbent, Ahmed Aliyu, as some of the leaders he guided.
This mass defection represents a substantial boost for the APC's grassroots structure in Sokoto State and potentially alters the political calculus ahead of the next election cycle.
