[1] In the December 1991 elections for governor of Katsina State, Barda defeated Umaru Yar'Adua, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate.
[5] The political struggles that followed the annulment led to the coup in which General Sani Abacha took power in November 1993, when all elected governors were dismissed.
Barda was active in politics in the Nigerian Fourth Republic, becoming leader of the United Nigeria People's Party (UNPP).
In January 2003, as chairman of the UNPP primary convention, Barda announced that Senator Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo would be the party's candidate in the April 2003 presidential elections.
[7] In October 2009, Barda was at a meeting where former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari announced the formation of a new political alliance, the National Democratic Movement.