President Bola Tinubu is set to appoint former Zamfara State governor and senator representing Zamfara West, Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, as Director-General of his 2027 presidential re-election campaign council, according to multiple sources familiar with the development.
The move signals a major political realignment within the ruling All Progressives Congress as preparations intensify ahead of the next general election.
As part of the arrangement, Tinubu has reportedly adopted the Renewed Hope Network (RHN), a political structure spearheaded by Yari, as the administration’s official grassroots mobilisation platform for the 2027 campaign. The decision places the RHN ahead of other pro-Tinubu support groups, including the Renewed Hope Ambassadors led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma and the City Boys Movement associated with Seyi Tinubu.
Sources close to the presidency said Tinubu’s choice of Yari was influenced by his loyalty to the administration, his political influence across Northern Nigeria, particularly the Northwest, and his continued support for the government’s reform agenda despite losing the Senate Presidency race in 2023.
The Renewed Hope Network is currently engaged in grassroots mobilisation and communication of federal government policies and achievements nationwide ahead of the 2027 elections.
The development also comes amid reports of internal tensions within the Progressives Governors Forum over campaign financing. According to insiders, APC governors allegedly contributed more than N800 billion through deductions from their Federation Account Allocation Committee allocations to build a substantial campaign fund for Tinubu’s re-election effort.
The funds were reportedly channelled through accounts linked to the Renewed Hope Ambassadors platform under Uzodinma’s supervision before they were expected to be transferred to the Renewed Hope Network. However, disagreements emerged after some governors allegedly demanded accountability for the funds, prompting intervention from the president to calm tensions within the forum.
Yari, one of the wealthiest politicians in the country, is also known for his business interests through MA’AM Energy Limited, which reportedly acquired a controlling stake in Geregu Power Plc from billionaire businessman Femi Otedola in a deal said to be worth about $750 million.
Political observers believe Tinubu’s decision is strategic, especially as the APC seeks to consolidate its dominance in the Northwest geopolitical zone, which delivered the highest number of votes for the president during the 2023 election.
According to figures from the Independent National Electoral Commission, Kano, Kaduna and Katsina are among the states with the largest voting populations in Nigeria, making the Northwest a crucial battleground in future elections.
The APC’s position in the region has further strengthened following the defection of Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from the New Nigeria Peoples Party to the APC, a move seen as weakening the political influence of former Kano governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his Kwankwasiyya movement.
Kwankwaso has moved to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, further reshaping political alliances ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
Yari, who served two terms as governor of Zamfara State and previously represented the state in the House of Representatives, remains one of the most influential political figures in Northern Nigeria. Despite losing the Senate Presidency contest to Godswill Akpabio in 2023 after Tinubu endorsed Akpabio, Yari later pledged loyalty to both the Senate leadership and the president, a move that appears to have strengthened his standing within the ruling party.