Attahiru Bafarawa

Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa (born 4 November 1954) is a Nigerian politician who served as the executive governor of Sokoto State from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007.^[1]

Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa
Governor of Sokoto State
In office 29 May 1999 – 29 May 2007
Preceded by	Rufai Garba
Succeeded by	Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko
Personal details
Born	(1954-11-04) 4 November 1954 (age 70)

Early career

He was a one-time local government councillor in charge of education. In 1979, he ran unsuccessfully for election to the House of Representatives on the platform of the Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP). He was a member of the National Constitutional Conference of 1994–1995, during the military rule of Sani Abacha. He was a founding member of the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) in 1997 and the All People's Party (APP) in 1998.^[2]

Governor of Sokoto State

In 1999, Bafarawa was elected governor of Sokoto State on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and was re-elected for the ANPP in 2003.^[2] In March 2002, a Sharia court in Sokoto State freed a 35-year-old woman Safiya Hussaini, who had been sentenced to death^[3] by stoning after being found guilty of adultery. Nigeria's justice minister declared Sharia as unconstitutional. Bafarawa, however, said the Sharia states would not adhere to this declaration.^[4]

Under the Bafarawa administration the state made significant improvements in the quality of roads. Schools were upgraded, and enrolment greatly improved due to assurances that all pupils would be taught morals and Islamic religion.

Later career

Bafarawa founded the Democratic People's Party (DPP) and became its presidential candidate at the 2007 presidential elections in Nigeria.^[2] As presidential candidate, while meeting with officials of the US State Department in Washington, D.C., he promised to scrap the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) if elected, describing the commission as "a conduit of corruption and waste."^[5] On 30 April 2024, Bafarawa while meeting with journalists in his home state of Sokoto, said he would neither contest for elective positions or accept any political appointments in the future, stressing that he had been in active politics for 40 years and it was time to leave the stage for younger people.^[6] On 13 January 2025, he resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through a letter addressed to the party executives, stating that he wanted to focus more on programs that inspire young people.^[7][8][9]