The recent publication titled "Yari’s Suspected Agenda to Undermine APC Success in Zamfara" authored by one Mohammed Yusuf on behalf of the so-called "APC Rescue and Rebuild Movement," represents a textbook example of political character assassination. Far from being an objective commentary, the piece relies on obsolete assumptions, dynamic falsehoods, and material misrepresentations of contemporary political facts in Zamfara State.
As stakeholders committed to the truth and the progressive ideals of the All Progressives Congress (APC), it is imperative to set the record straight and dismantle these orchestrated fallacies with verifiable evidence.
1. The Fallacy of the "Atiku Platform" and Cross-Party Engagement....
The author's assertion that Senator Abdul'aziz Yari Abubakar "launched the Atiku Abubakar political platform" in Zamfara is completely detached from current political realities. For the avoidance of doubt, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), following his high-profile exit from the PDP.
There is absolutely no credible evidence, document, or witness demonstrating that Senator Yari has organized, funded, or formally endorsed any ADC structure within Zamfara State. In a robust constitutional democracy, personal attendance at broader public events or the incidental presence of branded materials cannot be maliciously interpreted as "anti-party activity" under the APC Constitution. Cross-party engagements among senior statesmen are common practice—particularly when addressing existential questions of regional security and sub-national development affecting the people of Zamfara. Association must never be conflated with political adoption.
2. The Absurdity of "Sabotage" Claims.....
The claim that Senator Yari is working to "sabotage Governor Dauda Lawal and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu" collapses under the weight of basic political facts. Following his formal defection from the crisis-ridden PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in March 2026, Governor Dauda Lawal is now a bonafide member of the same political family as Senator Yari.
By virtue of party loyalty, both leaders are institutional allies working toward the collective electoral and administrative success of the APC at both state and national levels. To allege that an APC Senator is actively undermining an APC Governor is logically contradictory and unsupported by a single specific act, policy disagreement, or campaign conduct. Furthermore, Senator Yari remains fiercely loyal to the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, consistently voting in alignment with the executive's legislative priorities within the 10th Senate. If the authors of this smear campaign possess any genuine evidence of sabotage, the APC Constitution mandates them to table a formal petition before the National Working Committee (NWC) rather than engaging in cheap, sensationalist press trials.
3. Unverified Financial Innuendos and Speculation....
The malicious narrative suggesting that Senator Yari’s personal bank accounts were recently frozen is entirely fabricated. There is no official public statement from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), no active judicial court order, nor any Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) circular substantiating this claim. Raising "serious financial questions" in the media without providing a specific case number, formal charge sheet, or indictment is a reckless exercise in speculation and defamation. Under Nigerian jurisprudence, a citizen is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. Factional press releases cannot usurp the constitutional role of statutory regulatory agencies and the judiciary.
4. Selective Attendance and the Realities of Stakeholders' Meetings.....
The accusation regarding Senator Yari’s non-attendance at certain local stakeholders' meetings betrays a deep ignorance of internal party dynamics. Intrapolitical gatherings within the Zamfara State chapter of the APC have historically been subject to intense factional contention.
Declining to attend a specific meeting organized exclusively by one internal power bloc does not constitute a breach of Article 21 of the APC Constitution. Disagreements over organizational processes, venues, or the structural inclusiveness of such meetings represent standard political disputes, not institutional insubordination. True party unity is cultivated through genuine consensus building and mutual respect among stakeholders, not through compulsory attendance at unilaterally convened, contested gatherings.
5. Definitive Institutional Leadership vs. Factional Envy....
To clarify a vital point regarding the leadership structure in Zamfara: Senator Abdul’aziz Yari Abubakar has never claimed to be the State Chairman of the APC. Instead, he holds the mantle of the **Official Leader of the APC in Zamfara State**. This apex position was formally and unanimously conferred upon him during an inclusive, high-level extraordinary meeting comprising former governors, deputy governors, party elders, and critical grassroots stakeholders. This decision was a direct institutional recognition of his unwavering structural and financial stewardship of the party sustaining its executive organs across all polling units, wards, local governments, and the state executive body.
Senator Yari shoulders the core burden of party cohesion not just in Zamfara, but through extended fraternal support to APC chapters nationwide, solely to secure a decisive, landslide victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the upcoming 2027 general elections. Regrettably, this formidable political capital has attracted deep-seated envy from certain high ranking political figures within the state who fear that Senator Yari's enduring popularity will permanently eclipse their own legacies. Consequently, these individuals are leveraging mercenary, self-proclaimed "movements" to execute a smear campaign against Leader Yari.
6. Private Dialogues are Standard Democratic Practice.....
The frantic attempts by Mohammed Yusuf to brand a private meeting between Senator Yari and the ADC's Atiku Abubakar as "suspicious" lacks both empirical substance and intellectual depth. Senior political actors across party divides maintain regular dialogue on matters of national interest; indeed, APC leadership at the highest levels, including the Presidency, routinely meets with figures from the ADC, Labour Party (LP), and APGA. To level grave accusations of "bankrolling opposition elements" based solely on "widespread rumors" is legally untenable. In professional journalism and law, rumors are not evidence. If the sponsors of this publication have bank transfers, credible witnesses, or list of beneficiaries, they should present them openly.
7. The 2019 Precedent: A Lesson in Institutional Failure....
The author’s reference to "history repeating itself" regarding the 2019 electoral outcome in Zamfara is structurally flawed. The APC’s historic loss in 2019 was not the result of individual sabotage by Senator Yari; rather, it was a systemic crisis arising from a breakdown in consensus building and internal conflict resolution mechanisms, which led to a definitive judicial intervention by the Supreme Court nullifying the party's primary elections.
Today, we observe a similar structural strain driven by the high handed, strategic maneuvers of the Minister of State for Defence, who is seeking to consolidate personal hegemony ahead of 2027. These polarizing actions risk fracturing the party's unified front and alienating established elites. This internal friction has already triggered a major realignment, with a vast coalition of grassroots actors including his own former Deputy Governor, the former State Party Chairman, and numerous local government officials dissolving their old alliances with the Minister to align with the stable, pragmatic, and inclusive intra-party power bloc led by the apex leader, Senator Abdul’aziz Yari Abubakar.
CONCLUSION....
Article 21 of the APC Constitution explicitly defines anti party activity as openly campaigning for an opposing political entity or directly funding its candidates against the interest of the APC. The publication under review fails to provide a single date, venue, or direct witness establishing that Senator Yari has ever campaigned for the ADC or funded opposition forces against Governor Dauda Lawal who is now, fundamentally, an APC member.
With the historic advantage of having both the sitting Governor and key federal lawmakers under one progressive umbrella, the focus of all genuine party faithful must be the consolidation of this elite consensus to deliver a sweeping victory for President Tinubu in 2027. Factional blackmail, outdated grievances, and media trials will not deter Leader Abdul'aziz Yari Abubakar from his steadfast commitment to the advancement of the APC and the prosperity of Zamfara State.
