Kabiru Garba Marafa, the ex-Senator representing Zamfara Central and former coordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima 2023 campaign in Zamfara State, has announced his departure from the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing neglect and a lack of fairness under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The resignation came after a two-day gathering of Marafa’s Consultative Forum in Kaduna, which saw participation from supporters spanning all 14 local government areas of Zamfara. Between August 27 and 28, 2025, the assembly deliberated extensively on the deepening security crises, political instability, and developmental stagnation afflicting the state.
In a statement signed by the Forum’s leadership, including Chairman Comrade Bashir Muhammad Mafara and Secretary Dr. Mannir Bature Tsafe, the group recalled Marafa’s role in securing the state’s support during the 2023 presidential race. At the height of the campaign, Marafa confidently assured President Tinubu that his efforts would guarantee Zamfara’s votes without the need for a presidential visit, a pledge successfully realized.
Despite this loyalty, the members expressed profound disappointment over the subsequent treatment of Zamfara by the federal government. The communiqué stated mounting security challenges, noting that Zamfara accounted for the highest number of kidnappings nationwide in 2024, with 1,203 out of 4,722 cases recorded across Nigeria. The situation escalated weeks after a by-election, with attacks on 25 villages resulting in 145 abductions and 21 fatalities.
The forum criticized the employment of security personnel more as instruments to secure electoral victories in the Kaura Namoda bye-election than as protectors of vulnerable communities ravaged by banditry.
Furthermore, despite delivering a significant win for Tinubu, Zamfara was allocated a solitary Minister of State role, while other Northwestern states received two appointments each. Areas where Tinubu fared poorly, notably Lagos, reportedly benefited from greater ministerial and developmental attention, suggesting deliberate neglect of Zamfara.
While the President personally engaged with other violence-stricken states via visits and financial aid, Zamfara remains conspicuously overlooked, leaving victims without essential federal assistance. The forum accused the national APC leadership of sidelining Marafa’s political structure, clashing with the party’s declared principles of equity, fairness, and inclusivity.
Following extensive consultations and a sober analysis of the prevailing conditions, the Forum declared that the entire political network associated with Senator Marafa throughout Zamfara’s 147 wards has formally withdrawn from the APC. This collective protest opposes continued injustice, distrust, marginalization, and intentional neglect suffered by the state and its citizens.
The group promised to share its forthcoming political direction soon, emphasizing decisions would reflect the welfare and aspirations of Zamfara’s populace.
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