Former governor of Sokoto state, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, says there is no longer any real opposition in Nigerian politics.
Bafarawa, a former chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), announced his resignation from the party on January 13, 2025, citing a desire to focus on programmes that inspire young people.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Bafarawa said politicians in Nigeria are only interested in securing political positions, without doing anything to benefit ordinary citizens.
His comments come amid a wave of defections by prominent politicians from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general election.
Bafarawa alleged that the defections were selfish and not in the interest of the masses, declaring that “opposition politics is dead in the country”.
“Because of this, there is confusion both for the seekers and those being sought after,” he said.
“The seekers are blinded; they have no faith or compassion. Their only goal is to secure positions. Meanwhile, the masses are blinded by hunger, poverty, and ignorance, so everything is in disarray.
“Today’s so-called opposition is every man for himself. They ask themselves: ‘What can I gain?’ If one door closes to them, they shamelessly find another way, without any fear or shame.
“There is no real opposition anymore. Everyone is only concerned about personal gain. Once they get what they want, the idea of opposition disappears, and the masses are left to fend for themselves,” he added.
The former governor said politicians fight for political offices for personal benefit, not for the interest of the people.
He also lamented the state of education in northern Nigeria, blaming ignorance for the region’s underdevelopment.
“Whenever you defeat a people with ignorance by denying them education, you have finished them,” he said.
“Here in the north, honestly, about 70 percent of our youth have no education. How can a country or region develop without education?
“Do the masses even understand their problems? Are they aware of what they are facing? If you blame the poor masses for accepting money on election day to vote, it’s not entirely their fault,” he added.