APC Group Claims Kwankwaso Alarmed by Yari's Tinubu Campaign Role

The APC Daga Titi Zuwa Titi, a grassroots mobilization group operating in the North-West, has interpreted recent comments by former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, concerning the appointment of Senator Abdul’aziz Yari as Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council as a clear indicator of the opposition's discomfiture. In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Jaafar Hassan, the group noted that it was particularly telling that out of all the appointments within the APC campaign structure, Kwankwaso felt compelled to personally appeal to Senator Yari to reconsider his acceptance of the crucial role.

According to the group, politicians seldom advise their opponents to abandon positions they deem politically irrelevant. The APC Daga Titi Zuwa Titi stated that while Senator Kwankwaso might frame his intervention as 'brotherly concern,' Nigerians can discern the underlying motive. They asserted that one does not publicly plead with an opponent to vacate a battlefield unless there is genuine apprehension about their presence and potential impact on that field.

The group emphasized that Senator Yari’s appointment has significantly altered the political calculations for opposition leaders, particularly within the North-West region. They highlighted Yari's extensive political network and growing grassroots following in this area, which he cultivated as a former two-term Governor of Zamfara State. They underscored that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Yari not merely to fill a slot, but recognized his credentials as a former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, a serving Senator, and an experienced grassroots politician with a deep understanding of Northern Nigerian politics, possessing a proven ability to organize, mobilize, and build cross-regional and cross-political relationships. This, they argued, is what has made Kwankwaso uneasy.

Furthermore, APC Daga Titi Zuwa Titi found it ironic that Kwankwaso would attempt to question Yari’s political choices at a time when Kwankwaso himself is leveraging his alliance with Peter Obi and the national attention surrounding that ticket to expand his political relevance beyond his traditional stronghold. The group asserted that while Senator Kwankwaso is free to utilize Peter Obi’s national profile to seek a broader audience, he cannot pretend that Senator Yari requires instruction on making political decisions. They stated that Yari’s political record speaks for itself, and more importantly, he possesses the confidence of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the trust of the leadership of Africa’s largest political party to coordinate a presidential campaign across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory—a factor that evidently troubles the opposition.

The group advised Kwankwaso to instead concentrate on explaining the internal political contradictions within his own camp rather than attempting to choose a campaign director for President Tinubu. They reiterated that if Senator Yari were truly politically inconsequential, Kwankwaso would have simply ignored his appointment. The fact that Kwankwaso is publicly asking the APC Campaign Director-General to resign, even before the campaign has properly commenced, speaks volumes about the significance of Yari’s appointment and its perceived threat to the opposition. The group concluded that the opposition has already assessed the appointment, made their calculations, and fully comprehends the capacity, network, and political reach that Senator Yari brings to the campaign, leading to an early onset of anxiety.

Therefore, the APC Daga Titi Zuwa Titi urged Senator Yari to disregard what they described as unsolicited advice from political opponents. They called on him to focus steadfastly on the significant responsibility entrusted to him by President Tinubu and the APC, asserting that Kwankwaso should reserve his advice for his own campaign, as Senator Abdul’aziz Yari has an assignment he is committed to delivering.