Former Sokoto Governor Bafarawa Speaks On Joining SDP After El-Rufai's Defection
- Former governor of Sokoto state, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, has reacted to the report of him joining the Social Democratic Party (SDP)
- Bafarawa completely denied the report that he had joined the SDP while promising to find out those behind the rumour
- Recall that Bafarawa announced his exit from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) towards the end of 2024
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 7 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international events
Sokoto state - Former governor of Sokoto state, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, has dismissed the report of his joining the Social Democratic Party (SDP) after announcing his exit from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in late 2024.
This is coming days after former Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for SDP.
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Bafarawa, a former presidential candidate of the Democratic People's Party (DPP), described the information in circulation as false and misleading.
As reported by Vanguard, Bafarawa denied ever granting any media interview nor consulting with any group on joining the SDP.
Bafarawa disclosed that he, along with his people, have embarked on getting to the root of the circumstances that led to the circulation of the story.
“We are in Ramadan, the month of fasting, gratitude to Allah for His blessings, and a time for the wealthy to support the less privileged in society.
”It is a season for sharing food, not spreading rumours,”
According to The Punch, Bafarawa’s aide, who spoke anonymously, denied the defection story of the former governor.
“We are not aware of the story; we also saw it on social media.
“I can confirm to you that we are trying to get the person behind the post. His Excellency is not in the country for now; he is travelling to Umurah(sic).”
Bafarawa, after dumping PDP, had said he was excusing himself from active politics to focus more on other developmental agenda for the north.
Legit.ng earlier reported that the SDP received a major boost on Monday, March 10, 2025, with the addition of El-Rufai.
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El-Rufai is a founding member of the APC, a former governor, and a one-time minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Amid El-Rufai's party switch, Legit.ng highlights top SDP politicians the former Kaduna state governor may join forces with to democratically sack the ruling APC.
APC reacts to El-Rufai’s defection to SDP
The APC chapter in Kaduna state wasted no time in reacting to the defection of El-Rufai to SDP. The party's state secretary, Alhaji Yahaya Baba-Pate, said the ruling party is unperturbed by El-Rufai’s defection to another party ahead of the 2027 election.
Baba-Pate explained why APC would not lose sleep despite the fact that El-Rufai had dumped the party for SDP.
"Tinubu owns SDP": APC chieftain claims
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that an APC chieftain, Joe Igbokwe, claimed that the SDP, which El-Rufai just joined, was under the control of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Igbokwe, a former APC spokesperson in Lagos, raised this while reacting to the defection of El-Rufai from APC to SDP.
The APC chieftain reminded people that President Tinubu served as a senator under the SDP and the late Chief MKO Abiola was its presidential candidate in 1993.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
