Attahiru Bafarawa denies joining APC, dismissing rumours as false and reaffirming his withdrawal from partisan politics

Former Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, on Thursday denied reports that he had joined the All Progressives Congress, describing the claims as false, unfounded and malicious.

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In a statement made available to journalists, Bafarawa said there was no truth whatsoever in the allegation, stressing that he had no intention of joining the APC or any other political party.

The former governor, who resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party in January 2025, said his decision to withdraw from partisan politics was deliberate and unchanged.

Bafarawa said he had stepped away from party politics to focus on youth empowerment initiatives, which he described as a movement aimed at inspiring and transforming young Nigerians as the foundation of the country’s future.

He said maintaining political neutrality was necessary to avoid any conflict of interest in pursuing those objectives, adding that his commitment to philanthropy and social development remained firm.

Addressing speculation surrounding his political stance, Bafarawa explained that confusion may have arisen because some of his former supporters had chosen to join the APC.

He said his supporters were free to associate with any political party of their choice and emphasised that their decisions did not reflect his personal position.

Bafarawa added that many of those supporters were motivated by the performance of the current Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, particularly in the area of security, which he said contributed to peace and stability in the state.

The former governor noted that he was a founding member of the APC during its formation in 2013 but withdrew at an early stage due to irreconcilable differences within the party.

He described claims of his APC membership as laughable, noting that he had not attended any party meetings and accusing mischief makers of spreading misinformation.

Bafarawa served as governor of Sokoto State from 1999 to 2007 and has remained an influential political figure.

He later rejoined the PDP before resigning in January 2025 to pursue non partisan initiatives, amid growing speculation ahead of the 2027 general elections.