By Abdullahi Alhassan
The Senator Yari National Unity Project for Tinubu 2027 (SYNUP 4 Tinubu 2027) has defended Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari against allegations that he described Nigerian youths as lazy, citing his record of educational support, employment opportunities and empowerment programmes as evidence of his commitment to youth development.
The group also declared its support for Yari as Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 general election, describing his political experience and developmental interventions as valuable assets to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, SYNUP dismissed reports that Yari labelled Nigerian youths lazy during the APC rally held at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, on November 6, 2026, describing the interpretation as a deliberate distortion of his remarks.
According to the group, the senator’s comments centred on the prevailing economic challenges, particularly hunger, the cost of living and the need for Nigerians to embrace productivity and legitimate means of livelihood.
SYNUP explained that Yari began his remarks by acknowledging the reality of hunger before discussing food availability in markets and the importance of hard work and enterprise in overcoming economic difficulties.
It insisted that the senator neither mentioned nor singled out Nigerian youths in his address, urging the public to watch the complete video of the rally rather than rely on what it described as misleading interpretations of selected portions of his speech.
Shinkafi maintained that Yari was conscious of the economic difficulties confronting Nigerian households and believed that entrepreneurship, productivity and meaningful economic opportunities remained essential pathways to sustainable prosperity.
The coordinator further argued that the senator’s position on enterprise and self-reliance was consistent with his interventions over the years, particularly in education, employment, agriculture and humanitarian assistance.
As evidence of his commitment to youth development, SYNUP highlighted the Senator Abdul’aziz Yari Scholarship Initiative, launched in 2024, which it said was sponsoring 2,055 orphans and indigent students in 19 tertiary institutions across the North-West.
The initiative, reportedly funded entirely by the senator, disbursed ₦216 million in tuition support during its first year, while each beneficiary receives a monthly stipend of ₦15,000 throughout the duration of their academic programmes.
On employment and national service, the group disclosed that Yari facilitated the recruitment of 84 young people from Zamfara West into the Nigerian Army under the 86th Regular Recruit Intake, while another 74 youths were enlisted through the 87th intake.
The beneficiaries were drawn from six local government areas of Anka, Bakura, Bukkuyum, Gummi, Maradun and Talata Mafara.
SYNUP described the military enlistments as significant employment opportunities, particularly for young people from a region grappling with persistent security challenges, noting that the intervention had provided beneficiaries with opportunities to build careers while serving the country.
In the agricultural sector, the group said Yari had consistently supported farmers, including young agricultural entrepreneurs, through the distribution of fertilisers, agrochemicals and farming equipment to improve productivity, strengthen food security and enhance livelihoods across Zamfara State.
It also recalled that during his tenure as governor of Zamfara State between 2011 and 2019, Yari’s administration recruited 1,000 NCE-qualified teachers in 2017 to strengthen primary education and create employment opportunities for qualified graduates.
On humanitarian interventions, the group cited Yari’s 2024 distribution of food items and clothing to 10,000 orphans in Zamfara State during Ramadan and Sallah, describing the gesture as another demonstration of his commitment to vulnerable members of society.
“A leader who invests in thousands of young lives does not hold them in contempt,” Shinkafi stated, insisting that Yari’s record of supporting young people through education, employment and social interventions contradicted the allegation against him.
On his political credentials, SYNUP said President Tinubu’s decision in August 2026 to appoint Yari as Director-General of the Tinubu/Shettima 2027 Presidential Campaign Council reflected confidence in his political experience, organisational capacity and leadership credentials.
The group noted that Yari served in the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2011, chaired the Nigeria Governors’ Forum from 2015 to 2019 and currently chairs the Senate Committee on Water Resources.
It added that the presidential campaign structure had commenced grassroots mobilisation through town hall meetings and consultations with religious and traditional leaders, stressing that the strategy was designed to engage communities, listen to their concerns and build support ahead of the election.
Consequently, SYNUP directed its coordinators across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and the six geopolitical zones to intensify mobilisation and grassroots engagement in support of President Tinubu’s re-election bid in the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
The group urged media organisations to exercise caution and professionalism in reporting political statements, warning against taking remarks out of context or allowing partisan disagreements to undermine factual reporting.
It also called on Nigerian youths to evaluate political leaders based on verifiable records of performance, opportunities created and tangible contributions to national development.
“Political disagreement is legitimate. But facts must not be sacrificed for headlines,” the statement added.
