Former Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, has refuted claims that he has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the reports as false and deliberately misleading.
In a statement released on Thursday, Bafarawa said there was no truth whatsoever in suggestions that he had aligned with the APC, stressing that he currently belongs to no political party.
He recalled that although he was once a founding member of the APC, he withdrew at an early stage due to unresolved differences that emerged during the party’s formation.
“Let me state clearly and without any ambiguity that I have not joined the APC and have no intention of joining it or any other political party,” Bafarawa said. “On January 8, 2025, I formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party and declared my withdrawal from partisan politics.”
According to him, his decision to step away from party politics was driven by a desire to concentrate on youth empowerment initiatives aimed at inspiring and transforming young Nigerians, whom he described as the foundation of the country’s future.
He explained that remaining politically unaffiliated was necessary to avoid conflicts of interest while pursuing these objectives, adding that nothing had changed since his resignation from the PDP.
Bafarawa suggested that speculation about his alleged APC membership may have arisen from the decision of some of his former supporters to join the ruling party, noting that such actions were personal choices.
“My supporters are free to associate with any political party of their choice,” he said. “If I am retired from partisan politics, they are not. Their decision to join the APC is their own and should not be interpreted as my return to party politics.”
He added that many of his supporters were motivated by what they considered commendable performance by the Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, particularly in the area of security, which he said deserved support in the interest of peace.
Bafarawa also dismissed claims linking him to APC activities as baseless, saying it was illogical to associate him with a party whose meetings he never attended.
“It is laughable to suggest that I am a member of a party I do not participate in. Such stories can only be the work of mischief makers,” he said.
Bafarawa served as governor of Sokoto State from 1999 to 2007 and has remained a prominent figure in national politics. While he played a role in the formation of the APC in 2013, he later returned to the PDP before resigning from the party in January 2025 to focus on non-political initiatives.
His latest statement is aimed at dispelling recurring rumours about his political alignment amid growing speculation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
