Director-General of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign council, Senator Abdul’aziz Yari Abubakar, has said his appointment to lead the campaign was an act of divine choice, urging members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State to unite and work for the party’s success in the 2027 general elections.
Yari made the remarks on Friday in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, during a consultation meeting with APC leaders, ward and local government officials and other stakeholders as part of efforts to mobilise support for Tinubu ahead of the election.
The former Zamfara State governor said although his responsibility as director-general would require him to travel across Nigeria to promote Tinubu’s achievements and explain the administration’s vision, he considered it important to return to his home state and seek the support of party stakeholders.
“After the council, I found it necessary to come back home. It is my responsibility to work in every corner of Nigeria to market Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, showcase what he has done in the past three years and explain his thinking towards having a better Nigeria and why he should be elected as president,” Yari said.
He described Zamfara as his political homeland and said the state must play a significant role in delivering victory for Tinubu in 2027.
“But this is my homeland. So wherever we are going to, it must be a success. We need to come together and rub shoulders with any other state that is going to lead us. We are one of the three, by God’s grace,” he said.
Yari said the consultation was designed to bring together critical party stakeholders, including ward and local government working committees, state-level officials and other members of the APC structure.
He stressed that the responsibility for securing victory for Tinubu could not be left to the campaign council director-general alone, saying every party member and stakeholder had a role to play.
The former governor also described his appointment as a responsibility entrusted to him by God.
“Allah chose me to be here as director-general. Therefore, their support should be vast. We are here to tell them what we are expecting from them and what we are hoping to have as a party,” Yari said.
Yari Targets Massive Support for Tinubu
Yari expressed confidence that Zamfara would deliver substantial support for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
“I have mentioned a number, but by God’s grace, our work will not be less than one of the three. We will give massive support to Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Insha Allah, we are going to win the election,” he said.
He explained that the campaign would involve extensive consultations, stakeholder engagements, open discussions and mass rallies across the country.
According to him, the campaign would focus on communicating the achievements and policies of the Tinubu administration rather than attacking opposition politicians.
“Our campaign is not to mention anybody. We will mention what we have done for Nigeria, where we met Nigeria economically and where we met Nigeria security-wise,” he said.
Economic Reforms Caused Hardship, Yari Admits
Yari acknowledged that some of the economic reforms implemented by the Tinubu administration had imposed difficulties on Nigerians, but argued that some painful measures were necessary to reposition the country’s economy.
“Some of the economic policies you must do through some kind of painful process for the economy. Therefore, we are working tirelessly for Nigeria. Asiwaju is working tirelessly, thinking about how Nigeria is going to look like,” he said.
On taxation, Yari defended the administration’s tax reforms, saying the objective was to establish a system in which individuals and businesses contribute according to their earnings rather than placing excessive pressure on ordinary Nigerians.
“We said we are going to base our tax on earnings. We are not going to tax the masses and make them suffer from the new tax regime. Those that are not paying will pay, while those that earn will pay according to their earnings,” he said.
He maintained that Nigeria could generate substantial revenue through an effective tax system if the reforms were properly implemented.
Yari also highlighted increased federal allocations to state governments under the Tinubu administration, comparing the current revenue situation with the period when he served as governor of Zamfara.
He argued that the increased resources available to states could support development if state governments managed them effectively.
Yari Highlights Cost of Fighting Insecurity
The APC campaign council director-general also spoke about the financial burden of insecurity, saying the Federal Government was committing substantial resources to combat terrorism and banditry.
Yari disclosed that President Tinubu had shown him documentation concerning the procurement of ammunition and other security equipment worth more than $7 million.
He argued that such expenditure could otherwise have been directed towards infrastructure and economic development but had become necessary because of the country’s security challenges.
“I can tell you what is being spent to control the issue of security. It is unprecedented. I cannot believe it,” he said.
Yari expressed confidence that the government, working with the nation’s security agencies, would eventually defeat terrorism and banditry and free more public resources for development.
“By God’s grace, we are going to succeed, Insha Allah. Bola Ahmed Tinubu will succeed in fighting this insecurity and banditry,” he said.
‘Nigeria Is Before Us’
Yari said the central message of the 2027 APC campaign would be the future of Nigeria rather than individual political opponents.
He said the campaign council would seek to present the administration’s record, explain its policies and outline its vision for the country’s future.
“No individual is before us today. Nigeria is before us as Nigerians. That is the basis of our campaign and how we want the country to look like,” Yari said.
The consultation in Gusau forms part of the APC’s broader mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the campaign council expected to engage party structures and stakeholders across the country in the build-up to the presidential contest.
