‘I’ll reduce Tinubu’s votes by a million in 2027’ – Ex-APC Chieftain Marafa vows

Former All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Senator Kabiru Marafa, has vowed to work against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, claiming he intends to reduce the President’s votes by one million.

Marafa, who represented Zamfara Central in the Senate from 2011 to 2019, made the declaration on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

The former senator recently left the APC, along with loyal supporters of his QBs faction, formally announcing his resignation from the ruling party.

READ ALSO: Senator Marafa quits APC, says Tinubu practising ‘use-and-dump’ leadership style

“I’m going to assure you something today. I’m going to deduct one million out of Mr. President’s votes that he got in 2023. Mark my words. I’m going to do it. I would work for it and, by the special grace of God, I’m going to win that,” Marafa vowed.

The former lawmaker, who served as Zamfara State Coordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign in 2023, accused the President of adopting a “use-and-dump” style of politics, alleging betrayal of campaign promises.

He also dismissed insinuation that he has become politically irrelevant.

“Now, whether somebody said that I’m paperweight, I’m a lightweight; whatever I am, 2027 is going to determine who is a paperweight,” he retorted.

Marafa claimed that widespread disillusionment with the APC in Zamfara State had united major political players in the state against the ruling party.

“Because of the heavy disenchantment of the people, anybody that you can call substance in Zamfara State, we’re on one side,” he said.

Citing the victory of Governor Dauda Lawal in 2023 despite his limited political experience, Marafa argued that resentment against the APC toppled seasoned political heavyweights, including former governors and lawmakers.

He also accused Tinubu of failing to reform the APC’s internal reward system, a promise he said was central to the President’s campaign.

“People were not happy with the tailend of Buhari’s government. He promised that he was going to eradicate the concept of ‘monkey dey work, baboon dey chop.’ Only for him to entrench it, institutionalise it, and it became the state policy of the APC,” Marafa stated.

The ex-APC chieftain’s defection is the latest in a string of cracks within the ruling party, as discontent brews ahead of the 2027 elections.

(Leadership)