| 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) |
Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa (born 4 November 1954) is a Nigerian politician who was the executive governor of Sokoto State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007.
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 – 1997) and the All People's Party (APP – 1998).
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. In March 2002, a Sharia court in Sokoto State freed a 35-year-old woman Safiya Hussaini, who had been sentenced to death by stoning after being found guilty of adultery. Nigeria's justice minister declared Sharia as unconstitutional. Attahiru Bafarawa, however, said the Sharia states would not adhere to this declaration.
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
Attahiru Bafarawa founded the Democratic People's Party (DPP) and became its presidential candidate at the 2007 presidential elections in Nigeria. 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." 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. On January 13, 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.
References
- "Sokoto State Government". Sokoto State. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
- ^ Dickson, Ifeatu (23 March 2007). "Bafarawa: Ahead on merit". The Sun Publishing Limited. Archived from the original on 21 August 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
- "Nigeria: Woman Sentenced to Death Under Sharia | Human Rights Watch". 23 October 2001. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- "Sokoto Governor Attahiru Bafarawa discusses Sharia ruling". Voice of America. 25 March 2002. Retrieved 6 December 2009.
- RABI'U AUWAL (22 March 2007). "I'll scrap NDDC if... – Bafarawa". Daily Triumph. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
- Salman, Animashaun (30 April 2024). "I'm done with political appointments, says ex-gov Bafarawa". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- Salman, Animashaun (14 January 2025). "Ex-Sokoto gov Bafarawa resigns from PDP". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- olufemiajasa (14 January 2025). "Ex-Sokoto governor Bafarawa dumps PDP". Vanguard News. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
- Bello, Kabeer (14 January 2025). "Ex-Sokoto Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa dumps PDP". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
Nigerian state governors 2003–2007 term  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| See also Nigerian state governors 1999-2003 term and Nigerian state governors 2007-2011 term | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Candidates in the 2007 Nigerian presidential election | |
|---|---|
- 1954 births
- Living people
- Governors of Sokoto State
- Great Nigeria People's Party politicians
- United Nigeria Congress Party politicians
- All People's Party (Nigeria) politicians
- All Nigeria Peoples Party politicians
- Democratic People's Party (Nigeria) politicians
- Candidates for President of Nigeria
- Candidates in the Nigerian general election, 2007