Senator Abdulaziz Yari, representing Zamfara West, has made controversial claims that President Bola Tinubu is “caged” in the Presidential Villa, with the presidency being operated from outside its walls.
The former Zamfara State Governor made the startling remarks on Wednesday during the One Nigeria Project Conference in Abuja, where he criticized Nigeria’s elite for the country’s problems and dismissed suggestions that external intervention could resolve the nation’s challenges.
Yari, who disclosed that he had met with President Tinubu the previous night, argued that Nigeria’s difficulties stem from internal sabotage rather than leadership failure.
“Those close to the Presidency know that the Presidency is being run from outside the Villa than inside the Villa. We already have the President caged there, we locked him but we do the operations. So why not think of the trust you are given?” Yari stated.
The senator did not elaborate on who specifically is “running” the presidency from outside or the mechanisms through which this is occurring, leaving his comments open to interpretation.
He also directed criticism at Nigerians who blame President Tinubu for the country’s challenges, suggesting they lack understanding of the true situation.
“The problem is the elite, you have people abusing Tinubu, you are abusing him because you know the problem more than the truth,” he said.
Yari further dismissed recent suggestions of foreign intervention in Nigeria’s security crisis, specifically referencing US President Donald Trump’s recent comments about the country.
“Don’t call Trump, it’s the business of Nigerians, Trump has no business in Nigeria. He can’t solve the problem of Nigeria, the problem of Nigeria can be solved by Nigerians,” he declared.
The senator expressed confidence in Nigeria’s continued existence as a united nation despite ongoing challenges, invoking historical precedents.
“This country called Nigeria, America says their own country is God’s own country, but this country called Nigeria is more of God’s own country than any other,” Yari said.
“Look at June 12, everybody thought the country will go away but God that made the country in 1914 together, that God is in charge and would remain in charge. So anybody thinking otherwise shouldn’t waste his time because Nigeria has come to stay as a nation.”
Yari also revealed that he informed President Tinubu about his participation in the conference and encouraged him to watch the proceedings if time permitted.
“I was with the President in the night and I told him that I would be here and if he has time, he should watch what we are doing and I think this organization should be given the support,” he stated.
The senator’s remarks have sparked debate about the power dynamics within the Tinubu administration and raised questions about who wields influence over presidential decisions.
As of press time, neither the Presidency nor any official spokesperson has responded to Senator Yari’s claims about the president being “caged” or the presidency being operated from outside the Villa.
Political analysts are divided on whether Yari’s comments represent genuine insider knowledge or political rhetoric aimed at deflecting criticism from the president to unnamed external forces.
The One Nigeria Project Conference, where Yari made these statements, is a platform for discussing national unity and addressing challenges facing the country.
Senator Yari, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), served as Governor of Zamfara State from 2011 to 2019 and has been an influential voice in northern Nigerian politics.
