Tinubu's campaign coordinator quits APC, says Forum

Kabiru Marafa, the Zamfara State Coordinator of Tinubu-Shettima Campaign Organisation in the 2023 presidential election has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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Mr Marafa, a former senator who represented Zamfara Central Senatorial District between 2011 and 2019, announced his resignation in a communique issued on Friday by his political base, the Senator Kabiru Marafa Consultative Forum, after a two-day meeting held in Kaduna.

The statement was jointly signed by the Chairman of the group, Bashir Marafa, its secretary, Mannir Tsafe and seven other members. It also announced that the entire Marafa political structure in Zamfara had pulled out of the ruling APC.

One of Mr Marafa’s aides, who requested not to be named because he was not authorised to speak, confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES.

“It is true. Despite everything he did to secure Tinubu’s victory in Zamfara, he was left out of this government,” the aide said.

When asked if his principal had submitted a resignation letter to the APC, the aide said he was not aware of any such letter, but maintained that what he knew for certain was that the former senator had left the ruling party.

“I don’t know about the letter, but the thing is that he has left the party,” the aide added.

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Mr Marafa, a two-term senator and former factional leader of Zamfara APC, lost his attempt to return to the Senate in the 2023 elections.

Reasons for exit

The resignation, according to the communique, was in protest against alleged injustice, mistrust and marginalisation of Zamfara State and its people by the ruling party and the federal government.

“That the entire structure, with all its supporters, hereby formally resigns from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in protest against the sustained injustice, mistrust, marginalisation, and deliberate neglect of Zamfara State and its people,” the communique said.

However, Mr Marafa’s supporters did not disclose the party they plan to join next.

“That we shall, in due course, announce our next political direction, guided by the collective interest of the good people of Zamfara State,” the communique said.

Attack on APC leadership

The communique also accused President Bola Tinubu and the APC leadership of abandoning the principles upon which the party was founded.

“The failure of party leadership at the national level and Mr. President to ensure justice and fairness within the ranks of the party leaders at the state level. Instead of giving fair treatment to all important stakeholders, the national leadership decided to be selective in their dealings with APC members in the state, with our group being ignored.

“The above actions and omissions negate the fundamental principles of justice, fairness, equity and accountability upon which the APC was founded. Conscience demands that genuine progressives must stand for truth and resist injustice, no matter how uncomfortable,” the communique said.

Politicisation of insecurity

Mr Marafa’s supporters also accused the APC-led federal government of politicising insecurity in Zamfara, using the Kaura Namoda House of Assembly bye-election as an example.

They alleged that while security agencies failed to protect rural communities that suffered repeated banditry attacks which sometimes resorted to killing dozens of people, soldiers and police were deployed en masse to secure electoral victory for the APC during the by-election.

“The meeting noted with dismay the politicisation of insecurity in Zamfara State. This was evident during the recent House of Assembly by-election in Kaura Namoda, where villages that had suffered brutal attacks a few weeks before the by-election, including the slaughter of over 40 people, including women and children, received no federal government support till today.

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“However, heavy deployment of security personnel, including armed soldiers, was later deployed to the same area not to protect lives, but to facilitate electoral victory in favour of the APC. Tragically, after the election, security forces were withdrawn and attacks resumed immediately.

“Even more disturbing was the alleged humongous amount of money spent by the APC for vote buying in the area. Because of the level of suffering among the people in those communities devastated by insecurity, they were forced to sell their votes to earn a living. This is how APC always prioritised the acquisition of political power over the protection of human lives and property.”