Senator Abdulaziz Yari, representing Zamfara West, has made explosive claims that Nigeria’s presidency is being run from outside the Presidential Villa, alleging that President Bola Tinubu is effectively “caged” within the seat of power.
Speaking at the One Nigeria Project Conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the former Zamfara State governor asserted that external forces are controlling the presidency, raising concerns about transparency and governance in the country.
Yari dismissed the notion that foreign intervention, including from former U.S. President Donald Trump, could resolve Nigeria’s challenges. “Don’t call Trump—it’s the business of Nigerians,” he declared. “Trump has no business in Nigeria. He can’t solve the problem of Nigeria; the problem of Nigeria can be solved by Nigerians.”
Reflecting on the nation’s resilience, Yari emphasized Nigeria’s enduring unity despite historical crises, including the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election. “Everybody thought the country would go away, but God that made the country in 1914 together, that God is in charge and would remain in charge,” he stated.
In a striking revelation, Yari suggested that insiders close to the presidency are aware of the alleged external control. “Those close to the Presidency know that the Presidency is being run from outside the Villa than inside the Villa,” he claimed. “We already have the President caged there, we, but we do the operations.”
The senator also criticized the Nigerian elite for what he described as undue criticism of Tinubu, arguing that many detractors are misinformed about the complexities of governance. “You have people abusing Tinubu because you know the problem more than the truth,” he remarked.
Yari’s comments come amid growing scrutiny of Tinubu’s administration and its handling of national issues, including security and economic challenges. While the presidency has yet to respond to these allegations, the remarks are likely to fuel
