Why I questioned Tambuwal’s decision to step down for me – ADC senatorial candidate
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) senatorial candidate for Sokoto South, Ambassador Faruk Malami Yabo, has described the decision of Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to step down for him as a rare act of statesmanship aimed at strengthening opposition politics and giving the electorate a credible alternative. Yabo, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Jordan who previously […]
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) senatorial candidate for Sokoto South, Ambassador Faruk Malami Yabo, has described the decision of Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to step down for him as a rare act of statesmanship aimed at strengthening opposition politics and giving the electorate a credible alternative.
Yabo, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Jordan who previously served as the Sokoto State Commissioner of Finance, stated this during an interview shortly after being affirmed as the ADC flag-bearer for the Sokoto South Senatorial District.
He noted that the former governor’s withdrawal in his favor had attracted national attention because many Nigerians viewed it as a significant sacrifice made in the interest of democratic values and political inclusiveness.
“I must extend my profound gratitude to Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal for deciding to withdraw for me. What happened generated a lot of headlines across the country. People saw it as an act of statesmanship,” Yabo said.
According to him, he initially questioned the decision, considering the former governor’s massive political stature and contributions to both Sokoto State and the nation.
“I told the screening committee in Abuja that replacing Senator Tambuwal is like filling a very big shoe because he has done incredibly well for Sokoto State, for the constituency he represented, and for the country at large,” he explained.
Yabo traced Tambuwal’s political journey from the House of Representatives—where he represented the Tambuwal/Kebbe Federal Constituency starting in 2003—to his emergence as Speaker of the House in 2011, his two-term tenure as governor, and his subsequent election to the Senate.
He clarified that their political alignment within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023 was driven by a shared vision for the development of Sokoto State, rather than personal political ambition.
“When we joined the PDP, all elective positions had already been taken. We did not move because we wanted to contest for positions. We joined because we believed in the vision for Sokoto State and wanted to contribute either through advice or active participation in governance,” he said.
The former envoy added that despite losing the state-level elections, the political base remained strong in their zone due to deep-rooted public support.
Turning his attention to national politics, Yabo accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of deliberately undermining democratic institutions and attempting to destabilize opposition parties.
According to him, worsening insecurity, economic hardship, declining agricultural productivity, infrastructure deficits, and systemic crises in the education and health sectors have laid bare the failures of the APC-led administration.
“When you look at the APC journey, it is a failed situation completely. Security is bad, agriculture has suffered setbacks, infrastructure is not moving, education is in a bad state, and public healthcare is poor,” he stated.
He maintained that the emerging ADC coalition was a direct response to what many political leaders and patriots view as an attempt to impose a one-party state on Nigeria.
“Monopoly under democracy is unacceptable; in other words, it is called autocracy. The coalition became necessary to confront the absolute control the APC is trying to establish,” Yabo added.
He further alleged that opposition parties were being systematically infiltrated and weakened from within to frustrate genuine democratic competition ahead of future polls.