At the APC presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna on October 24, 2026, Senator Abdulaziz Yari promised President Bola Tinubu “100 per cent support” from the North. He is Director-General of Tinubu’s 2027 campaign council, appointed on August 22, 2026. For those wondering what the President sees in this senator, below is a short list.
First, the North. Yari, a former Zamfara State governor who now represents Zamfara West, declared for Tinubu’s second term at the APC North-west Stakeholders Meeting in Kaduna in August 2025, and has been called a northern pillar when parts of the region were uneasy about the bid.
Second, the machine. He runs the campaign with Campaign Secretary Governor Hope Uzodimma and Deputy Director-General Governor Mai Mala Bunu, and has courted transport workers in Gusau, traditional rulers, Islamic scholars, and imams.
Third, the reach. He campaigns in the south too. In Ekiti on November 5, he asked for 800,000 votes, and in Abakaliki on November 9, for at least 1.2 million of Ebonyi’s 1.8 million registered voters, about two-thirds.
Fourth, the message. On the stump, he defends the economy, citing an exchange rate that moved from nearly N1,800 to around N1,300, and has argued that Tinubu should not carry sole blame for insecurity.
Fifth, loyalty that was once in doubt. In 2023, Yari contested the Senate presidency against the arrangement the administration favoured, and lost to Godswill Akpabio by 63 votes to 46. He has since moved inside the fold, with public endorsements and now the campaign’s top job.
Sixth, weight outside politics. He chairs Geregu Power Plc, a post he took in December 2025, which adds corporate standing to his profile.
The caveats are real. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has previously investigated him over funds shared while he led the governors’ forum, which his camp calls a smear. No region can be taken for granted, and the North’s promised votes will be counted in the January 2027 general election.