Ex Gov Yari says only experienced politicians can guarantee victory for APC in 2023

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The immediate past Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, has cautioned that though there are mounting intrigues in the battle for chairmanship of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), but only a fighter who feels the pulse of the people and has abundant past experience in political battles, can lead the party to success in 2023.
Speaking with journàlists in Abuja, Yari also emphasized that he is not disturbed about speculations that some serving or former Governors in the North West geo-political zone may be involved in a scheme to jeopardize his chairmanship aspiration in order to ensure that one of them becomes either President or Vice President in 2023.
“Somebody told me that some of my colleagues and former colleagues are interested in the number one and number two slots. So, if the (National Chairmanship) seat goes to the North West, nothing will get to them, so they ganged up to neutralize Yari.
“If God decides that it should be, it is going to be. People can manoeuvre and do all sorts of calculations but they will not prevail. All I know is this: I have the capacity to lead this party and they know what I can do,” he said.
According to Alhaji Yari, despite its inability to accomplish all the objectives it set for itself in its progressive manifesto, the APC has abundant chances of winning the 2023 elections in a very remarkable way, if the ‘right’ things are done between now and next year.
He stressed that one of the right things that APC needs to do is to enable a people-focused party stalwart like him to repeat past electoral successes that he has accomplished even before the beginning of the current democratic dispensation.
Going down memory lane, he recalled his roles as a young politician during the Abacha years, as well as the formation of the defunct All Peoples Party (APP) which made him its State Secretary, as well as Director-General of governorship and presidential campaigns to actualize massive electoral victories in Zamfara state.
Yari further dismissed various corruption allegations against him as mere political dirt from faceless persons, adding that having done his very best as a member of the House of Representatives, state Governor and chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, he has no need to worry over the EFCC’s ongoing investigation of his administration.
“Some persons can fabricate lies but at the end of the day, the truth will prevail. There are so many other things they have said that are mere tissue of lies meant to try to get a good man down but they will never succeed,” Alhaji Yari stated.