Linking Yari With Abduction of 6 Clerics Is Vile Propaganda – Transparency Watch
An advocacy group for transparency and good governance, Transparency Watch, has chided those linking the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, with the recent abduction of six imams traveling to Talata Mafara in Zamfara state.
TW described the purported link as as “Vile Propaganda” by trying to give a bad name to the distinguished senator.
The rumour being peddled by mischief makers is that the clerics were abducted at Senator Yari’s residence in Talata Mafara.
The advocacy group said it is appalled by this false narrative which, to all intents and purposes, is aimed at blackmailing Abdul’aziz Yari.
In a statement by its Director of Public Affairs, Cliff Richards, the group expressed dismay at the campaign of calumny directed at Yari in the wake of his appointment as the Director General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council.
Transparency Watch described such vile propaganda as the handiwork of mischief makers and appealed to them to allow Yari to do his job without undue distraction.
The statement reads in part:
“We have noted with concern the efforts being made by mischief makers to give Yari a bad name following his appointment as the Director General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council.
“The latest in that negative effort is the false narrative that six Islamic clerics were abducted at Senator Yari’s residence in Talata Mafara, Zamfara State. This is nothing but vile propaganda aimed at blackmailing Yari.
“The truth of the matter is that the clerics were abducted by suspected bandits in a place called Gidan Suleiman Bature on their way to Talata Mafara for special prayers. They were nowhere near Yari’s residence in Talata Mafara. The fairy tale linking Senator Yari to the incident is concocted apparently because the Imams were invited by Yari to Talata Mafara for special prayers in aid of the re-election of President Bola Tinubu. Those behind the false rumour want to give the impression that Yari is failing in his assignment.
“We see this development as sheer mischief aimed at weakening Yari and dampening the enthusiasm of those he is associated with in this national assignment. We repudiate this bent towards malicious propaganda and urge those behind this ugly disposition to come off it and embrace positive competition. We are aware of the fact that Senator Yari’s commitment to Tinubu’s re-election is total. That is why he is leaving no stone unturned in the effort to realize that objective.
“The prayer session which the imams were supposed to undertake is one of them. Given the times we are in, it will not be out of place to say that enemies of the project are working. They want to distract Yari from the good work he is doing. But we urge these detractors to find something else to do. They should find meaningful ways of engaging themselves rather than peddling falsehoods that will take them to nowhere.
“We are delighted that the Nigerian Army has swiftly moved in to debunk the claim that the abduction took place in Yari’s residence. The Army has explained what happened and that should put paid to the mischievous propaganda. Yari has a job to do. We believe that these distractions can only have a little nuisance value. Yari will give a good account of himself at the end of the day.”
