By Dr Kabir Lawal Tsafe
Senator Kabiru Marafa used to be known as part of the Zamfara All Progressives Congress (APC) big boys. However, in recent times, he has found himself on the outskirts of the political scene, struggling to regain the relevance he once enjoyed within the party.
Marafa’s fall from grace within the All Progressives Congress (APC) can be attributed to a combination of factors that have led to his marginalization within the party. One of the key reasons for his decline in influence is his betrayal of the party leadership ideals and his refusal to toe the party line.
In the realm of politics, loyalty to one’s party and its core values is often seen as a crucial aspect of a politician’s career. However, there are times when individuals choose to deviate from this path in pursuit of their own personal ambitions.
Such was the case with Senator Kabiru Marafa, who decided to align himself with a section of the northern Nigerian elite in a bid to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 bid as accurately insinuated by Senator Shehu Sani recently
Marafa’s decision to go against the established hierarchy of his party, the APC, ultimately backfired. Instead of working within the party’s framework and supporting its leadership, Marafa chose to align himself with individuals like Alhaji Danbilki Kwamanda, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Nasir Elrufai and Professor Dikwa, who are among the prominent names in the Anti-Tinubu project.
This move not only alienated Marafa from the party’s mainstream, but also pushed him to the margins of irrelevance and political decay. By aligning himself with a faction that is opposed to the party’s leadership, Marafa effectively isolated himself from the mainstream of the party and lost the support of key party members.
Furthermore, Marafa’s decision to undermine Tinubu was seen as a betrayal by many within the party. Tinubu, as one of the founding members of the APC and current Nigerian president, commands a significant amount of respect and influence within the party.
By joining the plot against Tinubu, Marafa not only undermined the party’s leadership but also damaged what remains of his own diminshed reputation within the party.
In the end, Marafa’s decision proved to be a costly mistake. Instead of furthering his own political career, Marafa found himself on the fringes of the party, marginalized and irrelevant.
By choosing to align himself with a faction opposed to the party’s leadership, Senator Kabiru Marafa ultimately sealed his own fate and found himself on the path to political irrelevance and decay. As a result, his voice, which once carried weight and influence, is no longer taken seriously by many within the party, as he is seen as someone who cannot be trusted to uphold the party’s values and principles.
In an attempt to reclaim his lost status within the APC, Marafa has embarked on a campaign to reassert himself by forming a small circle of friends outside Zamfara state and claiming to hold a faction of the APC. However, instead of seeking to align himself with key party figures like Senator Abdulaziz Yari and Defence Minister Bello Natawalle, Marafa has chosen to continue making inconsequential claims of leading a faction that is non-existent. These efforts have so far been met with limited success, as many within the party remain wary of his intentions and skeptical of his motives.
Marafa’s quest to regain relevance within the APC remains an uphill battle.
The party leadership is unlikely to welcome him back with open arms, given his history of dissent and his tendency to challenge the status quo. Moreover, his reputation as a maverick and a troublemaker precedes him, making it difficult for him to win back the trust and support of his colleagues.
Marafa must make efforts to mend fences with those he has clashed with in the past and demonstrate a commitment to upholding the party’s values and principles. By aligning himself with key party figures and working towards a common goal, Marafa may be able to rebuild his image within the party and regain the trust of his colleagues. However, if he continues on his current path of division and betrayal, Marafa’s fall from grace within the APC is likely to continue, leading to further marginalization and isolation within the party. Only time will tell whether Marafa can once again become relevant within the party, or whether he will remain a lost politician, struggling to find his way back into the fold.
Middle-Belt Times 