Former Zamfara Central lawmaker, Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of sidelining loyal political allies after winning the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday night, Marafa said the President’s leadership style has left him and several northern political heavyweights used and abandoned despite their crucial role in delivering victory for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The truth is simple,” Marafa said. “We gave everything to ensure President Tinubu won, yet what we got in return is marginalisation. We are now convinced that Mr. President operates a use-and-dump system, and unfortunately, we’ve been dumped.”
Marafa, who coordinated Tinubu’s campaign structure in Zamfara, expressed deep frustration over what he described as unfair ministerial appointments in the Northwest.
He noted that while other states in the region received multiple cabinet slots, Zamfara was given only a junior ministerial position.
“The Constitution only says every state should have at least one minister, but that’s the bare minimum,” he explained.
“In our zone, the President won in Jigawa and Zamfara, yet Jigawa and other states got full ministers, some even two slots, while Zamfara was given only a Minister of State for Defence. We felt disrespected. Our efforts deserved better.”
Marafa argued that political contributions should be recognised with opportunities to serve, citing how states like Lagos and Ogun, where Tinubu lost, were allocated more significant federal positions than Zamfara, a state that stood firmly with the APC.
He also linked his personal experience with what he described as similar treatment towards other key northern figures, including former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai and APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje.
“When you look at how people like El-Rufai, Ganduje, and even myself have been treated, it becomes clear that loyalty doesn’t count under this administration,” he added.
“I am in politics to serve my people and bring development to my state. If those in power cannot appreciate our sacrifices, then they should not expect us to remain silent.”
Marafa’s comments come days after he and his political structure formally resigned from the APC, a move that could reshape political alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He has vowed to withhold massive votes from the President in the next polls unless there is a major shift in how the region is treated at the federal level.