Former Sokoto State Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, has said he is willing to personally campaign for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 if his administration addresses insecurity in northern Nigeria and restores peace to affected communities.
Bafarawa, who governed Sokoto State from 1999 to 2007, stated this in an interview with RFI Hausa, stressing that his support for Tinubu would depend on tangible improvements in security before the next general elections.
He said restoring peace would enable farmers to return to their farms, earn a living and provide for their families without fear of attacks by bandits and other armed groups.
“From now until the election, I can personally campaign for Tinubu for one reason: if he addresses the insecurity troubling our people, by God, I will vote for him,” he said.
The former governor maintained that Tinubu still had time to address the security challenges before the 2027 elections, adding that he would be ready to lead a campaign team for the president if the situation improved.
Bafarawa argued that the concerns of northern residents went beyond political campaigns and financial inducements, insisting that their immediate priorities included safety, livelihoods and access to basic necessities.
He said resources allocated to political activities would be better directed towards tackling banditry and alleviating the suffering of affected communities.
The former governor also expressed concern over the large number of children in northern Nigeria who remain out of school, both in conventional and Islamic education.
He warned that the region’s future would be threatened if young people continued to lack access to education.
“Whoever defeats you through education has defeated you in everything. How can I support someone who cannot help our people get relief from their suffering?” he asked.
Bafarawa urged Nigerians not to conclude prematurely that Tinubu would lose the 2027 presidential election, saying the president should be judged by what his administration could achieve in the months leading up to the polls.
He reiterated his willingness to support any leader capable of restoring peace and improving the living conditions of Nigerians.
The former governor also criticised northern political leaders for failing to unite around a common strategy to address insecurity, arguing that divisions among them had weakened efforts to tackle the region’s challenges.
“We have brought this problem upon ourselves because we have refused to come together sincerely and rescue ourselves. There is no way we can get relief without unity,” he said.
Bafarawa Backs Yari’s Campaign Appointment
On the appointment of Senator Abdulaziz Yari as director-general of Tinubu’s campaign, Bafarawa said he had no objection to the former Zamfara State governor accepting the position.
He described the assignment as an act of national service, noting that Yari, as a Nigerian, an elected senator and a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was entitled to accept the responsibility.
However, Bafarawa stressed that the appointment did not automatically guarantee Tinubu’s victory in 2027, adding that Yari would be expected to perform his duties to the best of his ability.
He disclosed that he was among the northern elders who supported Yari’s appointment, recalling that the senator had consulted prominent leaders in the region before and after securing the position.
According to Bafarawa, Yari sought their prayers and advice, but none of the elders he consulted advised him against accepting the assignment.
Instead, he said, the elders prayed for the senator’s success.
Bafarawa’s comments highlight the importance of security in shaping political calculations in northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the region’s persistent insecurity, educational challenges and economic difficulties likely to feature prominently in debates over the Tinubu administration’s performance.
