Ex-Gov Yari Of Zamfara Joins Race For Senate President

Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, former governor of Zamfara state, has declared interest in running for the office of senate president.

Yari said the north-west zone deserves the senate presidency since the region produced the highest number of votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the presidential election.

In the February 25 election, Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the APC, polled 2,652,235 votes in the north-west — the highest APC got in a geopolitical zone.

Yari is expected to represent Zamfara west senatorial district in the 10th national assembly.

Speaking in a video shared on Twitter by Imran Muhammad, an APC stalwart, the former Zamfara governor said: “The election has come, gone and the same zone (north-west) demonstrated what they are doing and took the lead in terms of producing votes to our president-elect and party.

“Despite the fact that some people were thinking about how to subvert it, we have done our best despite the challenges.

“Now, we have president (Tinubu) from the south-west, we have the vice-president from the north-east and the north-west is waiting.

“I believe if my zone decides to support me they are not supporting the wrong person. I believe they know my capacity right from party chairman, member of house of representatives and governor.”

Yari will have to slug it out with the likes of Jibrin Barau, David Umahi, Orji Kalu, Ali Ndume and Godswill Akpabio for the number one seat in the senate.

In May 2022, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Yari over alleged fraud relating to the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

The former Zamfara governor was arrested in connection to the fraud allegations levelled against Ahmed Idris, the suspended accountant-general.