Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
The formidable political structure loyal to former Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, has formally severed ties with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pitched its tent with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The decisive shift was concluded on Wednesday following a high-level consultative meeting of elders and leaders of the Bafarawa Akida Movement drawn from all the 23 local government areas of Sokoto State.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Chairman of the movement, Prof. Hamza Maishanu, said the decision was collective, unanimous and binding on all members of the group.
He explained that the movement had previously operated within the PDP but was compelled to withdraw due to persistent internal crises and political developments that eroded unity and effectiveness.
Maishanu noted that despite exiting the PDP, the group strategically preserved its political structures at ward, local government and state levels to safeguard its cohesion and relevance.
He said the group later adopted the name Bafarawa Akida, a Hausa expression denoting loyalty to the political philosophy and leadership ideals of Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa.
According to him, the name reflects the movement’s shared values of unity, discipline and unwavering commitment to its founding principles.
He identified those principles as justice, honesty, transparency and people-oriented governance, which he said Bafarawa exemplified during his tenure as governor.
Maishanu disclosed that recent political realignments in Sokoto State triggered serious concerns among members over the future direction of the movement.
This, he said, led to the convening of a statewide elders’ meeting to enable exhaustive consultations and frank deliberations across all local governments.
He revealed that elders from the 23 local councils reached a unanimous resolution to support the administration of Governor Ahmed Aliyu.
The chairman said the endorsement was driven by the governor’s performance in office and his respectful recognition of Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa as an elder statesman.
Maishanu confirmed that the decision to back Governor Aliyu translated into the formal alignment of the Bafarawa Akida Movement with the APC.
He pledged that the movement would mobilise its structures and supporters to work closely with the APC-led government in advancing development and stability across Sokoto State.
