An elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, says at the moment, nobody has better chances of defeating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Mr Yakasai stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.
He also said that as a key member of Arewa Consultative Forum, he was not aware of any forum where a position was taken by the north supporting a candidate from the zone for the 2027 presidential election.
“I haven’t heard anybody making any proposition about the 2027 presidential election from Arewa Consultative Forum.
“What is tagged the Arewa Consultative Forum or Northern Elders Forum’s position is mere individual opinions, because all sections of the north have not taken a stand on this,” he said.
Mr Yakasai said that Nigerians should wait until the northerners meet and officially take a position.
”In Nigeria today, Bola Tinubu is the president. He has his ministers and governors who are backing him.
“Who else has all what it takes to move into the contest with the kind of stamina and strength to be more successful comparatively with Tinubu?,” he asked.
Mr Yakasai said that aside the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, controlling majority of states, there are some other governors from the opposition parties still supporting Tinubu.
“We should all wait and see if the picture will change drastically, otherwise for now, the odds are in his (Tinubu’s) favour because I have not seen anything that will prevent him from winning the next election.
“He hasn’t done anything against the north in my understanding and the north alone cannot decide who becomes the president of the country,” he said.
According to him, the crisis rocking some of the major opposition parties has further softened the grounds for Tinubu to win in 2027.
In terms of assessment of the administration in the last two years, Yakasai said that he would not do so, for now.
He, however, advised Nigerian politicians to always have the interest of the masses at the centre of their actions and plans.
“Our politicians should see politics as a dynamic game and what I will advise is for them to play the game on the basis of ideology and programmes.
“Let them envision the way they want the country to be and not targeting to be ministers, governors and president.
“”After becoming all these and nothing is done in the interest of the country, we will not get better.
“”They should eschew politics of ethnicity and religion because not making our country the focal point of our politics has held us down for so long,” he said.
On the factors he could attribute his longevity to, Mr Yakasai who would turn 100 years in December said it was a gift from God.
He said that his father died at the age of 107 years and that his mother died at almost 100 years, adding that the combined effects of the two might have equally contributed to his longevity.
“My children, grandchildren and great grand children are more than 80 and still expanding. I give glory to God for these,” he said.
