EMIR OF KATSINA TO YARI: ‘DON’T COME TO ME WITH LIES BECAUSE OF POLITICS, POLITICS IS NOT MADNESS’

The Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, has issued a stern warning to Senator Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, cautioning him against lying to Nigerians and demanding that political leaders confront the reality of insecurity and hardship facing ordinary citizens.

The Emir Katsina Yari insecurity rebuke was delivered when Yari visited the monarch’s palace in Katsina State earlier this week, with the conversation captured in a Hausa-language video that has since circulated widely .

THE WARNING

The Emir did not mince words. Addressing Yari directly, he stressed that political leadership comes with a responsibility to defend the interests of the people and to speak the truth about the country’s condition.

“Director-General, you are now in a position of leadership. This is not just about this place; it concerns the entire country. We are all children of this nation, and we must stand for the truth,” the Emir said .

He urged Yari to carry that message to other political leaders, insisting that public officeholders must demonstrate genuine concern for the welfare of Nigerians rather than concentrating on personal interests and political rivalries.

“I swear to God, unless you love people, help them and work with them, you cannot expect Allah to love you, stand by you and help you,” he added.

“POLITICS IS NOT MADNESS”

The monarch also took aim at the conduct of Nigerian politicians, declaring that politics should be driven by dialogue, persuasion and consultation rather than hostility, insults and the destruction of opponents.

“Yes, politics, it must be about politics. What is politics? You convince me to accept your conviction,” the Emir said. “You must be wise enough to listen to what I have to say or consider my point of view. That is politics. It is not fighting or condemning others. It is not about backbiting, envy or malice”.

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He lamented that these principles appeared to have been abandoned by some political actors, who he accused of focusing on condemning others, undermining their livelihoods and plotting against perceived enemies.

“Do not tell me that we are working together. It is said that God will not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves. We have changed, but there seems to be nothing in our hearts except condemning others, destroying people, preventing them from earning a livelihood and plotting evil against them. Why? Why all this?” he asked .

THE WARNING AGAINST LIES

The Emir was particularly pointed in his condemnation of dishonesty in political communication.

He acknowledged that Islamic teachings recognise limited circumstances in which deception may be permitted—such as reconciling estranged parties, preserving harmony between spouses, or strategic deception during warfare.

But he argued that such exceptions should not be used to justify falsehood in ordinary political engagements .“Lying in this manner, when you come to me and claim something…” the Emir began, before the video cut off, leaving the implication clear: do not come to the palace with lies .

He warned that people in positions of authority should not assume they would escape the consequences of treating others unfairly.

“Whoever you are, I repeat, whoever you are, if you treat another person with contempt, I swear to God, you will eventually experience something you do not like,” the monarch said .

THE INSECURITY REALITY

The Emir’s intervention comes against the backdrop of worsening insecurity across Nigeria’s North-West, which has devastated agricultural production and rural livelihoods.

The monarch noted that insecurity had made it difficult for farmers to access their farmlands, while economic and industrial activities in parts of northern Nigeria continued to deteriorate.

His remarks are a direct challenge to the Tinubu administration’s narrative of progress and prosperity, which the Presidency has been promoting ahead of the 2027 election.

WHY IT MATTERS

The Emir of Katsina is one of the most respected traditional rulers in northern Nigeria.

His decision to publicly rebuke the Director-General of the President’s re-election campaign is significant.It suggests that the Tinubu administration’s messaging on insecurity and the economy is not landing in the North, where farmers are unable to access their land and where the effects of banditry and kidnapping are felt most acutely.

It also signals that traditional rulers—who are often careful to avoid direct confrontation with political leaders—are increasingly willing to speak truth to power.

For Yari, the visit to the Emir’s palace was supposed to be a routine political engagement. Instead, it became a public lesson in the consequences of ignoring reality.

ValidViewNetwork reports that Yari has not publicly responded to the Emir’s remarks. The 2027 campaign continues, but the Emir’s warning will linger.