By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
The appointment of Senator Abdul’Aziz Abubakar Yari as Director-General of the Tinubu/Shettima 2027 Presidential Campaign Council has been welcomed by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, who described the choice as a strategic step towards securing victory for the ruling party.
The Presidency and the APC unveiled Yari as head of the campaign council as part of the formal arrangements for the 2027 re-election bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Reacting to the development, Shinkafi, an APC chieftain and aspirant for Zamfara North Senatorial District in 2027, said Yari’s appointment demonstrated the administration’s confidence in competence, political experience and broad-based mobilisation.
In a statement made available to journalists, Shinkafi described Yari as an experienced political organiser with an extensive understanding of party structures and electoral dynamics.
He said the appointment reflected the seriousness with which the APC was approaching the 2027 elections, adding that Yari had over the years built a reputation as a grassroots politician and election strategist.
Shinkafi also highlighted Yari’s background, tracing his roots to the respected Kayayen Mafara family of Talata Mafara in Zamfara State, which he described as a lineage associated with scholarship, community service and integrity.
According to him, Yari’s upbringing, which combined Islamic education with Western learning, contributed to shaping his outlook on leadership and governance. He noted that the senator later obtained a Master’s degree from the University of Salford in the United Kingdom.
Yari’s political journey, Shinkafi said, began at the grassroots, where he served as State Secretary and subsequently State Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in Zamfara State.
He recalled that in 2003, Yari led the ANPP campaign that secured the re-election of former Zamfara State Governor, Ahmad Sani Yariman Bakura, a performance that elevated his profile as a political strategist.
Yari subsequently served as National Treasurer of the ANPP before winning election to the House of Representatives in 2007, representing Anka/Talata Mafara Federal Constituency until 2011.
Shinkafi further noted that as Governor of Zamfara State, Yari played a significant role in strengthening the APC at a period when the party was in opposition, contributing to its organisational growth in the state.
He added that Yari currently serves in the 10th Senate, where he remains one of the prominent APC figures at the legislative level.
According to Shinkafi, one of Yari’s major strengths is his understanding of political structures, traditional institutions and youth and women networks across the country.
He maintained that the senator’s political reach across the 36 states would provide the campaign council with the grassroots structure required to effectively mobilise support for the Tinubu/Shettima ticket.
“With Senator Yari leading the charge, this council will be disciplined, focused and result-driven,” Shinkafi said.
He urged APC stakeholders and supporters of the Tinubu administration to rally behind the campaign council and work collectively towards the party’s success in 2027.
Shinkafi expressed confidence that Yari’s leadership and political experience would contribute significantly to what he described as a historic victory for the APC in the presidential election.
Shinkafi is a former National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Patron of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council in 2023 and Executive Director of Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development.
