Akinjide Akinola, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has dismissed claims linking Abdulaziz Yari, senator representing Zamfara west, to a recent seizure of gold bars by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Akinola described the allegation as a deliberate attempt by political opponents to tarnish the reputation of the former Zamfara governor.
He said Yari’s record in public service and popularity in Zamfara state made him a target of misinformation campaigns.
His words: “If you go to the streets of Zamfara, every single person you meet will tell you about Senator Yari’s goodwill and his various initiatives to improve the lives of people in the state both within and outside public office.
“This malicious attempt to link him to an alleged gold seizure is designed to harm his growing national profile as a well loved individual who has committed his life to public service and a dependable ally of President Bola Tinubu.”
Akinola said the EFCC had publicly identified individuals connected to the alleged incident and that Yari was not among them.
He argued that the omission of Yari’s name from the commission’s disclosures undermined the claims being circulated against the senator.
He added: “This tells you everything you need to know. This is part of an ongoing efforts by malicious actors to weaponize falsehood and misinformation to smear Senator Yari’s integrity. But like all past attempts, the malicious actors will fail.”