2027: Yari’s camp denies backing ADC candidate in Zamfara
By Luminous Jannamike
The camp of former Zamfara State Governor Senator Abdul’aziz Yari has dismissed accusations that he is funding the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Bilyaminu Yusuf Shinkafi. Officials allege that these claims are a tactic by political rivals to damage Yari’s reputation ahead of the upcoming 2027 elections.
In a statement issued Saturday, Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, a former national secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and a senatorial aspirant for Zamfara North, described the allegations as “mischievous” and unfounded, suggesting that they are driven by adversaries of the former governor following his recent appointment as Director-General of President Bola Tinubu’s campaign council.
Shinkafi clarified that Bilyaminu is a cousin of Yari’s wife, emphasizing that this familial connection does not imply any political sponsorship. He noted that Shinkafi had previously sought the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the Zamfara North senatorial district but was not cleared by the party’s screening committee prior to his switch to the ADC.
The statement also refuted claims linking Yari to eight suspended members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, who recently resigned from the APC.
“It is necessary to state categorically that the eight suspended members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly are not political allies of Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari,” Shinkafi said.
The lawmakers were suspended on February 26, 2024, amid allegations of gross misconduct, contempt of the House, and unauthorized meetings. The Assembly has also accused them of forcibly entering legislative offices and damaging public property.
Shinkafi revealed that five of the suspended lawmakers were elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023, while three were elected on the APC ticket. The controversy has persisted since Governor Dauda Lawal’s defection from the PDP to the APC in March 2026. The suspended lawmakers have appealed to the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions regarding their extended suspension and non-payment of salaries and allowances.
Despite the ongoing dispute, Shinkafi asserted that Yari has provided financial support to the affected lawmakers and has made efforts to mediate a resolution, though these attempts have not yet succeeded.
“Those who blame Senator Abdul’aziz Yari for not intervening in the protracted Zamfara State House of Assembly issue do so out of ignorance and mischief,” he stated.
Shinkafi urged the public to disregard the allegations, reiterating Yari’s commitment to supporting Tinubu’s re-election campaign in 2027.
