A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s appointments, describing them as lopsided, particularly in the Northwest. He expressed disappointment that Zamfara State, which contributed significantly to Tinubu’s 2023 presidential victory, has not been adequately rewarded.
Speaking to journalists in Gusau during the inauguration of his political movement, the Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front (WSDF), Shinkafi urged the president to address the imbalance in appointments and intensify efforts to curb the persistent security crisis plaguing Zamfara.
Shinkafi, who resigned as National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Board of Trustees to join the APC alongside former Zamfara State Governor Bello Mohammed, lamented that despite Zamfara and Jigawa being the only two Northwest states won by Tinubu, Zamfara has not received its fair share of political appointments.
He described this as a “serious betrayal” of the people of Zamfara, warning that failure to correct the situation could jeopardize Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 presidential election, as the Northwest might not deliver the same level of support.
Shinkafi also called on the president to intensify efforts in addressing the security challenges in Zamfara, where armed groups continue to terrorize communities through killings, kidnappings, and displacement.
A former loyalist of the current Minister of State for Defence, Shinkafi revealed that he has distanced himself from the minister’s camp to form WSDF. The movement aims to mobilize people across the state’s 14 local government areas to challenge what he described as the marginalization of Zamfara North and Central. He pointed out that while the West has produced three governors and enjoyed 16 years of democratic rule, the other two zones have only had one-term governors.
He further claimed that the APC in Zamfara is divided and has lost the trust of its members. He vowed to resist any imposition of candidates in the 2027 general election and called for strict adherence to internal party democracy.
