Former Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa says he will vote for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections if the President restores peace to the North.
Bafarawa said this in an interview with FRI, an online Hausa medium. He said his only condition is that Tinubu ensure peace and normalcy return to Sokoto State and other parts of the North.
“My only condition for allowing my vote to go to President Tinubu is for him to ensure peace and allow full normalcy to return to my area and other Northern parts,” he said.
He said time was no longer on Tinubu’s side. He added that the President has the resources and security apparatus to tackle insecurity in the region.
“As a leader who has power, money and security, three months or even one month is enough for him to change the insecurity narrative in the Northern region,” Bafarawa said.
Bafarawa said he does not want campaign money. He wants the President to restore peace so residents can return to normal life.
“Look, as far as I am concerned, I don’t want anything in the name of campaign money. What I want is for President Tinubu to do everything he can to ensure peace and allow markets, schools, farming and other livelihood activities to return to our communities. I assure him that I will vote for him,” he said.
Past Contact With Tinubu
Bafarawa alleged that he had met Tinubu only once since he became President. He said the meeting took place at a mosque.
He alleged that a person Tinubu asked to bring him to the Presidency later refused and blocked his phone numbers. Bafarawa said he is not a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He insisted he would vote for anyone, including Tinubu, who restores peace to the North.
“But it is unacceptable that today, our children cannot go to school. Don’t anybody who denies you education deny you life? Villagers cannot go to farms, and so many towns have been completely sacked. That is why, at this juncture, if Tinubu ensures peace, he is simply my candidate,” he said.
Yari’s Appointment
Bafarawa also addressed the appointment of former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari as Director-General of Tinubu’s campaign.
He defended Yari, saying Yari is an APC member who must respect his party’s decision. He added that it would be disrespectful for Yari to turn down the President’s appointment.
“So I don’t see anything wrong with Abdulaziz Yari accepting to be DG of the campaign for President Tinubu because he is doing a job he has been appointed to do. And don’t forget, it would be disrespectful for him to say no,” Bafarawa said.
He said Yari consulted several people before accepting the role and sought more advice afterwards. He said this showed Yari’s integrity.
The question is whether Bafarawa took a similar stance while Tinubu’s predecessor, Late Muhammadu Buhari, was president.
It is yet to be seen whether the ex-governor’s condition is a mere political gesture or a real attempt to put peace and security in his region at the centre of campaign issues before the elections.
The truth of the matter is that with or without your vote or influence, Tinubu might win, and quite honestly back in 2023 the heat was on too, though I would agree not as hot as it is now, but if the End-Sars protest thought the youths anything, they realised the government does not really care.