Group commends Yari on issue-based campaigns
A public advocacy group, New Nigeria Initiative, has commended Senator Abdul’aziz Yari for not to engaging on mudslinging but committing to issue-based campaigns.
Yari, former governor of Zamfara State, is the Director General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council.
The group said that as the arrowhead of APC presidential campaign, Yari has had occasion to say that the APC campaign which he is leading will be based on issues rather than character assassination.
The New Nigeria Initiative said that to show his commitment, Yari had followed up with his consultations with major traditional rulers across the country.
In a statement by the Director of Public Affairs, Chris Oke, the group noted that Senator Yari has, by his approach, brought finesse and civility to bear on political party campaigns.
It pointed out that unlike the trend politicians were used to where campaigns are about throwing insults and abuses at will, Yari has ensured that issues, not abuses, dominate the campaigns.
Part of the statement reads:“We have noted with satisfaction the civility and finesse that Senator Abdul’aziz Yari has brought to bear on the campaigns of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“As the Director General of the APC presidential campaign council , Yari has ensured that the campaigns are based on issues. He has not created any room for tantrums and hate speech. This is a welcome departure from what used to obtain when partisan campaigners of opposing political parties felt that the only way to sell their parties and their candidates was to abuse and ridicule.
“As a civilized mind, Yari knows that brickbats do not win elections. He knows that elections are about issues that can improve the lot of the country and its peoples. He has remained focused in this productive approach and we commend him for that.
“We are equally delighted about Senator Yari’s nationwide consultations of traditional rulers. In recent weeks, Yari has paid courtesy visits to some traditional rulers across the country. The consultations are still ongoing. So far, we have observed that Yari has, wherever he went, spoken to the royal fathers about what could be done to ensure that the elections are peaceful.
“For us, Yari’s consultations is about building bridges of understanding. Traditional rulers cannot be ignored in matters that have direct impact on nation-building. Yari’s approach says a lot about his understanding of the country’s complex challenges of statehood. Traditional rulers are a major stakeholders in our effort to build a country that will work for us all. By aligning with them, Yari has put the APC campaigns on the right footing.
“We commend Senator Yari on all of this and call on other political campaigners to learn from the example of Yari. Political campaigns should never be allowed to depart from issues. The administration of a country must be focused on issues, not sentimental outpourings.
The group said that when parties identify issues that must be dealt with for Nigeria to get out of the woods, the populace confidently say that a major chunk of Nigeria’s national challenge has been taken care of.
The New Nigeria Initiative urged Yari to remain on track. His approach will go a long way in sanitizing our political campaigns”.
