APC Group Tackles Yari over Alleged Talks with Atiku, ADC
Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto
The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Unity Support Group has raised the alarm over reports that Senator Abdul’aziz Yari held a closed-door meeting with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the development as “troubling” for party loyalty.
In a statement issued yesterday, the group’s Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Haruna Sadauki, said the alleged engagement between the Zamfara lawmaker and key opposition figures risks undermining the unity and cohesion of the APC.
The group cautioned Yari and other APC faithful against secret meetings with opposition leaders, warning that such moves could weaken the party’s progress and distract from the administration’s agenda.
According to the statement, the reported meeting appeared to be a “calculated attempt to distract” from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to foster sustainable development and national unity.
It added that if the claims are true, the action would constitute a breach of the trust reposed in Yari by the president, and could prove politically damaging to the senator’s future within the party.
While acknowledging Yari’s stature as a prominent politician and founding member of the APC, the group said the alleged talk had raised questions about his commitment to the party’s collective success ahead of the 2027 general election.
The statement urged greater caution when dealing with opposition figures, especially those it described as “consistently critical” of the Tinubu administration and its policies.
The APC support group argued that any association with opposition elements at this stage carries more political risks than benefits, given ongoing realignments ahead of the next election cycle.
It called on Yari to set aside personal ambition and demonstrate renewed commitment to the administration, stressing that the president’s “growing goodwill” across the country should not be jeopardised by actions perceived as self-serving.
As of yesterday, Senator Yari had not publicly responded to the allegations. The report came amid wider opposition consultations involving Atiku, ADC leaders, and other political heavyweights in Abuja, as parties begin early positioning for 2027.
In another development, a Muslim advocacy group has issued a strong warning to foreign-based organizations and individuals against what it calls deliberate attempts to stoke religious crisis in Nigeria through misinformation and politically-charged narratives.
The Muslim League Unity Group, in a statement released to journalists, said certain international Christian organisations, especially from the United States, have been circulating reports it described as “doctored” concerning the alleged mistreatment of Christians under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
The statement, jointly signed by Professor Ahmed Umar Daudu and Dr. Yunusa Bala Maikafi, insisted that Nigerians of different faiths have historically lived together peacefully and that such external narratives threaten to sow distrust among citizens.
According to the group, some of the organisations pushing these claims are relatively unknown and have been alleging targeted violence against specific religious communities.
The group warned that such actions are dangerous and capable of plunging the country into chaos, particularly with the 2027 general election drawing closer.
It specifically referenced recent remarks attributed to a US Senator, Ted Cruz, which alleged attacks on Christian schools and places of worship by Muslims in Nigeria.
The Muslim League Unity Group described the senator’s comments as part of a broader agenda to incite division and promote religious intolerance within the country.
The statement also addressed allegations reportedly linked to Kimberly Daniels, who was said to have called for the dismissal of Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Bello Matawalle.
The group dismissed those claims as unfounded and politically motivated, alleging a shift in narrative to bribery accusations after initial efforts to remove Matawalle failed.
While the group agreed that public officials, including Matawalle and Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, should be held accountable, it stressed that scrutiny must be based on verifiable evidence and due process, not external pressure or religious bias.
It further claimed there is a pattern of foreign-driven accusations targeting prominent Nigerian figures, naming the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar; former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and President Tinubu, bu among others.
Defending Matawalle’s record, the group stated that no court conviction, official indictment, or audit report has directly implicated him in wrongdoing, either as Zamfara State governor or in his current ministerial role.
The statement expressed confidence in Matawalle’s capacity to serve effectively and contribute to ongoing national security efforts across Nigeria.
It also challenged critics to provide credible evidence before linking the federal government or its officials to extremist activities, saying unproven allegations damage national cohesion.
Acknowledging that security challenges exist globally, including in the United States, the group urged both domestic and international stakeholders to avoid narratives that could deepen religious divisions in Nigeria.
