Former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari has cautioned citizens against assessing President Bola Tinubu's administration exclusively through the lens of ongoing economic hardships and security difficulties. Yari, who serves as the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign, made these remarks while heading a delegation of party stakeholders to the palace of the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Sulaiman Adamu, to solicit royal blessings for Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid.
Addressing the traditional ruler, Yari admitted that Nigeria is currently navigating severe security threats and economic strain, but maintained that these issues are global phenomena rather than uniquely Nigerian dilemmas. He referenced rampant gun violence in the United States—noting incidents where students and shoppers are targeted—and mentioned recent civil unrest in France to illustrate that developed nations continually battle their own domestic crises.
What did Yari say about global challenges?
"In America, there is gun violence. People enter schools and kill students; they also attack people in markets. These things happen there, but they bury their own problems while we expose ours," Yari stated. He asserted that absolute perfection in governance is unattainable, explaining that leaders can only strive to minimize societal burdens rather than eradicate them entirely.
Defending the current administration's fiscal reforms, Yari claimed that recent federal measures have triggered a noticeable reduction in staple food prices across local markets. According to him, the cost of a bag of rice has dropped from a previous peak of N100,000 to N110,000 down to between N58,000 and N60,000. He added that prices for grains such as millet, maize, and guinea corn have similarly fallen from N90,000–N100,000 down to a range of N37,000–N40,000.
Beyond agricultural pricing, the APC chieftain highlighted ongoing federal interventions in infrastructure, pointing to power sector enhancements, railway expansion, and road construction initiatives designed to stimulate job creation. Addressing the security situation, he argued that despite persistent threats, vital commercial transit routes between northern and southern regions remain operational, facilitating the continuous movement of cattle and agricultural produce.
Concluding his address, Yari appealed to citizens to safeguard national unity, advising against ethnic and political divisiveness. In his response, the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Sulaiman Adamu, expressed appreciation for the visit and offered prayers for sustained peace, stability, and the peaceful resolution of the nation's socioeconomic hurdles.