2027: Yari leads APC chieftains to Northern Muslim clerics

By Jude Opara

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Director General of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Abdulaziz Yari on Monday led a delegation of of party chieftains to meetings with Muslim clerics in some states in the North Central, North East and North West, as part of consultations with faith based stakeholders.

The engagements which started in Jos, Plateau states took Sen. Yari and his team to Kaduna, Kano and Bauchi states where they met with Muslim clerics who are leaders of the Izala, Tijjaniyya, JIBWIS and Qadiriyya sects.

The former Zamfara state governor who is piloting the reelection efforts of President Bola Tinubu was accompanied on the trip by former governor of Kano state and National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; former Kebbi state governor, Sen. Adamu Aliero; Sen. Nasiru Sani Zangon Daura; former governor of Borno state, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff and National Secretary of the APC, Sen. Ajibola Basiru.

Also on the delegation were Hon. James Faleke and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase.

On arrival in Jos, Sen. Yari and his team were received by Chairman of the Council of Ulama of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir.

Similarly, in Bauchi, the contingent was received by, Sheikh Ibrahim Dahiru Bauchi, Khalifa of the Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Zawiya, who prayed for President Tinubu. He equally called for a sustained dialogue between the state and the religious community, even beyond election periods.

In Kaduna, Sen. Yari deliberated with Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, National Chairman (of Kaduna faction of JIBWIS) on various national issues: security, economic hardship and how to sustain mutual trust in communities where different ethnic nationalities coexist.

Speaking at the occasion, Sheikh Bala Lau, commended Sen. Yari for extending hands of fellowship but advised leaders across board to always listen more and to speak sincerely to the people.

The consultations were concluded in Kano where Sen. Yari and his team met met with leader of the Qadiriyya movement, Sheikh Qaribullahi Nasiru Kabara, who offered special prayers for peace in Nigeria and for the success of the assignment of the PCC.

He further urged the delegation to carry the message of unity to every corner of the country.

Even as the PCC has not been officially inaugurated, the Sen. Yari led body has continued to engage with community and opinion leaders across the country.