By Onjewu Dickson
Minister of Defense, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, suffered a major political setback in the just-concluded Babura/Garki Federal Constituency re-run election, losing both his polling unit and ward to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Despite being a senior cabinet member under President Bola Tinubu, Badaru failed to deliver for the All Progressives Congress (APC), a development party loyalists described as the collapse of his political relevance in Jigawa.
According to results from Babura, PDP scored 3,432 votes out of 5,099 cast, defeating APC’s 1,567 votes. Independent monitors and APC insiders blamed Badaru’s alleged neglect of party members and growing political distance from the state’s grassroots.
“He has abandoned us for PDP and created unnecessary crises in APC. This defeat is a shame,” said Musa Alaye, a former APC youth mobilizer.
Even the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba, could not salvage the situation as she also lost her polling unit where PDP polled 184 votes against APC’s 22.
Party sources alleged Badaru boycotted APC campaigns, preferring to stay in Kano while Jigawa supporters struggled without federal support. His absence, they said, created the impression he was secretly backing PDP.
In contrast, Governor Umar Namadi Danmodi was praised for stabilizing the party and leading APC to overall victory in the constituency, securing 38,449 votes against PDP’s 13,519.
Analysts say the by-election exposed deep cracks in APC’s leadership and questioned Badaru’s loyalty to the ruling party. Party insiders are now calling on President Tinubu to reassess his appointees, warning that some may be “political liabilities rather than assets” to the Renewed Hope agenda.
