Alhaji Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, commonly referred to as Abdulaziz Yari, is a prominent Nigerian political figure born on September 28, 1968. He rose to prominence when he was elected as the Governor of Zamfara State during the national elections on April 26, 2011, representing the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). After the ANPP merged with other opposition groups, his son, Sultan Yari, became a member of the All Progressives Congress.

Abdulaziz Yari Biography

Yari’s early life began on January 1, 1969, in Anka, Zamfara State. His education journey started at Talata Mafara Township Primary School, followed by Government Teacher’s College in Bakura from 1979 to 1984. He furthered his studies at Sokoto Polytechnic between 1991 and 1994, where he obtained a certificate and later a Diploma in Secretarial Studies in 2004.

Furthering his academic credentials, Yari achieved a Graduate Diploma in Public Administration from Kebbi Polytechnic in 2008. In 2023, he completed the Leadership and Change Certificate at the London School of Economics. By 2025, Yari had earned a Master of Science degree in Finance and Investment Management from the University of Salford Manchester in the United Kingdom.

Career

Yari’s political journey began in 1999 when he served as the Secretary of the then-All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) from 1999 to 2003. He was elected as the Chairman of ANPP Zamfara State in 2003. His political career continued to flourish as he took on the role of ANPP National Financial Secretary until 2007, when he secured a seat as a Member of the Anka/Talata Mafara Federal Constituency, serving from 2007 to 2011.

On April 26, 2011, Yari was elected Governor of Zamfara State under the ANPP banner. He successfully retained his position during the 2015 gubernatorial elections, this time representing the All Progressives Congress.

On May 18, 2015, Yari’s colleagues in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum unanimously elected him as Chairman, succeeding Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

In addition, when Zamfara State Governor Mahmud Shinkafi defected to the PDP in January 2009, bringing the ANPP’s state executive committee with him, the ANPP’s National Headquarters in Abuja was obliged to form a Caretaker Committee led by Yari.

The committee’s terms were regularly extended. Yari was elected Governor of Zamfara State, Nigeria, in the national elections held on April 26, 2011, on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

Yari is the son-in-law of Governor Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), whom he defeated in the election by 514,962 votes to 460,656.

Regarding the 2019 election, he stated that it is time to repay Buhari’s bailout. As his stint as governor of Zamfara State came to an end, Yari stood for the Zamfara West Senate seat and won by a large margin on the platform of the ruling APC.

However, the Supreme Court declared his election and that of other APC candidates in Zamfara State’s 2019 general election null and void since they were not legitimately nominated through party primaries.

The court directed INEC to recognise the runners-up in the elections as winners. Senator Kabiru Marafa, a member of the APC contesting for the party’s governorship ticket, protested that the APC did not hold primary in Zamfara and sought the court to annul the primaries reportedly held by Yari, the party leader.

On August 8, 2023, Yari was named chairman of the Senate Committee on Water Resources of the Tenth Senate.

Controversy and Allegations

Yari’s successor, Bello Matawalle, established the Zamfara State Project Verification Committee, chaired by Ahmad Zabarma, to investigate projects under Yari’s governorship.

At the Committee interim report press conference in February 2020, Zabarma revealed that the Yari government had spent an unusually large sum on unfinished or yet-to-be-started projects.

Zabarma claimed ₦3 billion was spent on the Zamfara State University project and ₦70 billion on the House of Assembly restoration. However, the University is only 30% completed and the House of Assembly renovation has yet to begin.

According to Zabarma, Hajj pilgrims who were unable to be airlifted in 2012 were not refunded ₦35 million, over 1,000 vehicles belonging to the State Government (65% of its total vehicles) were missing after Yari left office, and Yari spent ₦8.4 billion of state money on exotic cars for associates and family, among other alleged corrupt practices involving feeding programs, schools, water supply, and projects.

Yari accused Matawalle, his successor, of political persecution against him and the Zamfara APC. Matawalle said that Yari’s administration stole about ₦107 billion from the state in the Project Verification Committee’s final report, released in late September.

In early October, Matawalle established a commission of inquiry to further probe the Yari administration. After Yari departed office, his successor, Bello Matawalle, announced an investigation into charges of corruption during Yari’s tenure.

In September 2020, Matawalle’s Finance Commissioner Rabiu Garba accused Yari and an associate of diverting ₦37 billion in reimbursements on federal projects from state government coffers.

Muktar Idris, Yari’s Finance Commissioner, rejected the accusation, claiming that the money was utilised to improve roads. In February 2021, the Peoples Gazette revealed that on the day before leaving the Governor’s office, Yari sent ₦350 million to EFAB Properties Limited, an Abuja-based real estate developer.

The EFAB account is also associated with Fabian Nwaora, a public works contractor and real estate developer. The story cited anonymous EFCC officials who stated the commission was looking into Yari’s multiple last-minute transactions but had not seen the EFAB Properties transaction.

According to the study, Yari was so notoriously corrupt that officials at the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, which Yari presided, dubbed him the “loaded governor”.

In February and April 2021, Yari was held and interrogated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for attempting to transfer around ₦300 billion from a corporate bank account.

The EFCC Director of Operations, Abdulkarim Chukkol, indicated in the invitation letter to Yari to appear for the April questioning that “conspiracy, diversion of public funds, and money laundering” were the grounds for the interview.

According to Sahara Reporters, the EFCC is also investigating Yari in connection with the alleged Paris Club return corruption case, which involves the Central Bank of Nigeria, Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, President Ibrahim Gambari’s Chief of Staff, and former Representative Ned Nwoko.

The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission charged Yari of wrongdoing, notably embezzling funds from the Zamfara State Treasury. In January 2021, Yari lost a court case that approved the seizure of $669,248 and over ₦24.3 million from him.

The judge agreed with the ICPC’s claim that Yari was unable to explain the sources of the cash, making the money vulnerable to forfeiture. In February 2022, the ICPC won another case against Yari, this time for the interim seizure of ten properties in Abuja, Kaduna, and Zamfara states, as well as Maryland in the United States.

The judge ruled that the interim order would continue 60 days while the ICPC conducted more investigations, with a final forfeiture hearing scheduled for April 28.

Abdulaziz Yari Wife

Governor Yari is a devoted Muslim who is married to three women. Hajiya Asma’u AbdulAziz Yari is the state’s First Lady. They have four children together: two boys and two girls. Yari is also married to the daughter of his predecessor, former Zamfara state governor Alhaji Mamuda Aliyu Shinkafi, who is his third wife.

Abdulaziz Yari Net Worth

Multiple sources estimate Abdulaziz Yari’s net worth to be about $10 million. However, other estimates put it as high as $850 million. The disparity could be due to differences in valuation techniques or changes in his financial condition.

Social Media

X: @SenatorAAYari