Yari’s ‘APC Till 2031’ Boast Rattles Opposition

​The political atmosphere ahead of the 2027 general elections has shifted from quiet alignment to psychological warfare following a bold declaration by Senator Abdul’Aziz Yari. Freshly unveiled as the Director-General of President Bola Tinubu’s Presidential Campaign Council, Yari’s projection that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will retain power well beyond 2031 has triggered fierce pushback from opposition parties.

​Speaking upon his return to Abuja, the former Zamfara State governor asserted that President Tinubu is poised for a resounding re-election, insisting that the ruling party is engineered for long-term political dominance. While ordinary campaign rhetoric routinely forecasts victory for incumbents, Yari’s timeline deliberately stretched past a potential second term, framing the APC as an unassailable fixture of Nigeria’s future governance.

​In a political landscape where perceptions of momentum heavily influence cross-carpeting, party financing, and voter psychology, the opposition recognized the statement as an attempt to establish an aura of inevitability.

ADVERTISEMENT

​The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was among the first to reject the psychological premise of Yari’s stance. National Publicity Secretary Jungudo Haruna Mohammed dismissed the remarks, advising the newly minted campaign DG to focus strictly on the immediate task of delivering an electoral mandate rather than mapping out a decade of dominance. The PDP emphasized that the opposition has neither conceded 2027 nor surrendered the political space beyond it.

​Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) escalated its critique. Through its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party claimed Yari’s projection was merely an attempt to curry favor and justify his high-profile appointment to the President. Abdullahi further jabbed at the ruling platform, comparing its structural cohesion unfavorably to historical political formations.

​Adding weight to the opposition’s counter-offensive, ADC National Chairman Senator David Mark, speaking through his media aide Kola Ologbondiyan, characterized the ruling party’s longevity claims as wishful thinking disconnected from current realities. Mark challenged the core narrative of the ruling establishment, questioning what tangible achievements the administration intends to run on given prevailing socio-economic hardships.

​Political analysts note that the rapid and sharp reactions from rival camps underscore a mutual awareness of the psychological battlefield shaping up for 2027. While the APC leans heavily on a formidable campaign machinery—incorporating the presidency, party leadership, and strategic governors—to project strength, the opposition is scrambling to ensure that narrative does not harden into conventional wisdom.

​As both sides jockey for psychological advantage long before ballots are cast, the early skirmish highlights a fierce war of perceptions over who ultimately defines Nigeria’s political future.