Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
An All Progressives Congress chieftain,
Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has denied claims that former Zamfara State Governor Abdul’aziz Yari is sponsoring African Democratic Congress governorship candidate Bilyaminu Yusuf Shinkafi ahead of the 2027 elections.
Shinkafi described the allegation as false, accusing political opponents of attempting to discredit Yari following his appointment as Director-General of President Bola Tinubu’s Presidential Campaign Council.
In a statement on Saturday, he said, “I wish to debunk the fake news on social media that Senator Abdul’aziz Yari is sponsoring the ADC governorship candidate in Zamfara State, Bilyaminu Yusuf Shinkafi.
“It is mischievous, false, handwork of mischief makers and political adversaries of the former governor.”
He explained that Bilyaminu was related to Yari by marriage, being a cousin of the senator’s wife, who is a daughter of the late Umaru Shinkafi.
According to him, Bilyaminu had sought the APC ticket for Zamfara North Senatorial District but was not cleared by the party’s screening committee. He subsequently joined the ADC to pursue his governorship ambition.
Shinkafi alleged that some political actors were using the sponsorship claim to undermine Yari because of his new role in Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
“It is obvious that some political actors are not happy that President Tinubu appointed Yari his Presidential Campaign Council’s Director General and ventilate their grievances by spreading fake news and carrying out a campaign of calumny against him,” he said.
He urged the public to disregard the allegation and expressed confidence in Yari’s commitment to Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
Shinkafi also rejected claims that eight suspended members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly who recently resigned from the APC were political allies of Yari.
The lawmakers are Aliyu Ango Kagara, Ibrahim Tukur Bakura, Faruk Musa Dosara, Bashir Abubakar Masama, Muktaru Nasiru Kaura, Nasiru Abdullahi, Bashar Bello and Bashar Ali.
He said the lawmakers were suspended on February 26, 2024, over allegations including gross misconduct, conspiracy, mischief, contempt of the House and holding an unauthorised sitting in violation of the Assembly’s standing orders.
According to Shinkafi, five of the lawmakers were elected on the Peoples Democratic Party platform in 2023 before defecting to the APC, a history he cited in disputing their alleged association with Yari.
He said attempts by Yari and other party stakeholders to resolve the dispute and secure the lifting of the suspension had been unsuccessful.
Shinkafi added that he had advised Yari to engage Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal to seek an amicable resolution before Yari defected to the APC. He also claimed that Yari had provided financial assistance to the suspended lawmakers, whose salaries, allowances and other entitlements were allegedly withheld.
“In his magnanimity as a compassionate leader, Yari gave financial support to the suspended legislators and continued to broker peace to those involved in the matter behind the scene,” he said.
He appealed to Lawal and the Assembly leadership to resolve the dispute politically and address the lawmakers’ outstanding entitlements.
