Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, born in 1951 in Kwara State, is a Nigerian civil servant turned party administrator and politician who became one of the most consequential figures in the PDP’s most turbulent chapter. Known fondly as Tafida, he is a former teacher, a retired permanent secretary, a former Acting National Chairman of the PDP, and one of the senior statesmen of Kwara State’s political landscape.
He turned 74 in February 2025, and while he has stepped away from the front lines of national politics, his name remains a reference point for anyone studying the mechanics of Nigeria’s opposition party history.
Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje Profile
| Name | Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje |
| Real Name | Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje |
| Date of Birth | February 3, 1951 |
| State of Origin | Kwara state |
| Tribe | Yoruba |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Occupation | Public Servant and Politician |
| Religion | Islam |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Net Worth | $1 million |
| Copied from | content101.com |
Educational Background
Alhaji Baraje attended school in Kwara State before beginning a career in teaching, which he describes as his first and most passionate profession. His commitment to education has been a defining theme across every phase of his public life, from his time in the classroom to the school he later built in Kwara State as a personal contribution to youth empowerment in his community.
Career
Alhaji Baraje spent his early career as a teacher before transitioning into the Kwara State civil service, where he rose steadily through the ranks to become a Permanent Secretary, the highest non-political position in the civil service, before retiring in 2006. His foray into national politics began in 2005 when he served as Secretary to the Kwara State delegation at the National Political Reform Conference. In 2007, he served as Assistant Director in charge of Administration during the PDP’s presidential campaign. He later became National Secretary of the PDP, a position that placed him at the very heart of the party’s administrative machinery.
His most defining political moment came in 2013, during the period of the G7 governors’ revolt against President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP national leadership under Bamanga Tukur. As the leader of the nPDP, the dissident faction, Baraje became the most visible face of the internal rebellion, serving as Acting National Chairman of the splinter group and issuing statements that kept the factional crisis on the front pages of Nigerian newspapers for months. He was conferred with the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger by President Goodluck Jonathan on September 17, 2012, a recognition of his contributions to governance and party administration.
Controversies
Alhaji Baraje’s most significant and most talked-about controversy is his central role in the 2013 PDP crisis, which very nearly destroyed Nigeria’s then-ruling party and laid the groundwork for the APC’s eventual emergence as a national force.
As Chairman of the nPDP, he led seven PDP governors, including Rotimi Amaechi, Babangida Aliyu, and Aliyu Wammako, in a public revolt against the Tukur-led national leadership and, by extension, against President Jonathan’s administration. The nPDP held parallel meetings, issued rival statements, and created a situation in which two factions of the same party were essentially functioning as separate organisations.
The crisis escalated to physical confrontations in the National Assembly between pro-Tukur and pro-Baraje lawmakers. Baraje’s faction eventually held talks with the APC, which many interpreted as a prelude to a merger, though he later clarified that what happened on November 26, 2013, was not a merger. The entire episode contributed significantly to the weakening of the PDP ahead of the 2015 general elections, in which the party lost the presidency for the first time in its history.
Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje Social Media Handle
Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje does not have any official or publicly known social media handles.
Personal Life
Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje was born in 1951 in Kwara State, making him 74 years old. He is described by those close to him as an unassuming man of deep faith, a devoted father and husband, and a mentor to younger politicians and civic figures across Kwara State.
He built a state-of-the-art private school in Kwara State, reflecting a lifelong commitment to education that began in the classroom and never left him. Former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who celebrated him on his 74th birthday, described him as a rare breed of leader whose wisdom has guided countless individuals across Nigeria.
Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje Net Worth
Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje’s net worth is estimated to be around $1 million.