The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly refuted claims made by former Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa that he delivered one million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election.
In a statement released in Gusau on Wednesday, the state party chairman, Alhaji Tukur Umar Danfulani, described Marafa’s remarks as “empty boasting” and disconnected from political reality.
“Marafa Has No Political Weight” – APC Chairman
Danfulani stressed that Marafa had no significant electoral influence, noting that Tinubu’s votes in Zamfara came from the party’s structures, grassroots members, and respected leaders, not from the efforts of one man.
He recalled that Marafa was defeated in his own senatorial election in 2019 and has struggled to regain political relevance since then.
“Marafa could not even win in his own constituency during the last elections, let alone claim to have delivered one million votes to President Tinubu,” Danfulani said.
Instead, he credited leaders like former Governor Bello Matawalle and Senator Abdulaziz Yari for consolidating APC’s support in the state.
Threats for 2027 “Laughable”
The party chairman dismissed Marafa’s recent threats of withholding votes in the 2027 elections, calling them baseless.
“It is laughable that someone who cannot even secure his ward now claims he has the power to determine President Tinubu’s votes,” Danfulani remarked.
He went on to describe Marafa as a “frustrated politician who failed to win elections or secure appointments in the current administration.”
APC’s Confidence in Zamfara
Danfulani emphasized that the APC remains united and strong in Zamfara, pointing to the party’s recent victory in the Kaura Namoda South State Assembly bye-election as proof of its deep grassroots support.
He urged APC members to ignore Marafa’s comments, assuring them that the party’s strength comes from its collective leadership and the confidence of the people.
“His unguarded statements are nothing but frustration. If not for his disrespectful remarks about the President, we would not have responded to him at all,” Danfulani concluded.
Jamflash Insight:
This latest clash highlights ongoing rifts within the APC in Zamfara, where political figures continue to jostle for influence ahead of 2027. While Marafa insists on his relevance, the state leadership of APC appears determined to sideline him as a spent force in local politics.