A former Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, has said no amount of gang-up or blackmail would deter him from aspiring for the office of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress.

Yari said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, on Sunday.

The ex-governor said he heard that some of his former colleagues and some party chieftains in the North-West were working to truncate his ambition in pursuit of theirs but that he would not be deterred.

He stated, “somebody told me that some of my colleagues and former colleagues are interested in the number one and number two slots. So, if the (National Chairmanship) seat goes to the North West, nothing will get to them, so they ganged up to neutralize Yari.

“If God decides that it should be, it is going to be. People can manoeuvre and do all sorts of calculations but they will not prevail. All I know is this: I can lead this party and they know what I can do.”

Yari noted that his experience in party administration at the state level having served as party secretary, chairman and member of the House of Representatives before his election as Zamfara State Governor where he served for two terms adequately prepared him for the position of national chairman.

He noted that the APC would need his experience and insight to make an impact in the 2023 general election. According to him, the desire of some political interests to produce the Vice President in 2023 should not stop the party from looking at the big picture.

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He recalled that he played a key role in the formation of the defunct All Peoples Party which later became the All Nigeria Peoples Party before it collapsed into the All Progressives Congress.

Yari also stressed that the experience gained from serving as the Director-General of the campaigns that led to the massive victories first for the APP in 1999 and the APC in subsequent elections was a clear testimony of his grassroots appeal.

He also enjoined his supporters not to worry about a petition filed against him with the EFCC “by faceless groups and individuals because they lacked merit.”

The chairmanship aspirant said, “Some persons can fabricate lies but at the end of the day, the truth will prevail. There are so many other things they have said that are mere tissues of lies meant to try to get a good man down but they will never succeed.”