ABUJA — AHEAD of the 2027 general election, founding member of Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, yesterday, declared that at the moment, no candidate had better chances of defeating President Bola Tinubu in the presidential election.
The elder statesman, in a chat with newsmen in Abuja, said he was not aware of any forum where the north took a position to support a candidate from the zone for the election.
He said: “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.
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?”
Yakasai said that asides the All Progressives Congress, APC, controlling majority of states, there are some other governors from the opposition parties still supporting Tinubu.
He said: “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.”
We respect Yakasai, but disagree on Tinubu’s electability — Obidients
The Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, said while the movement respects the age, wisdom and experience of the elder statesman, it disagreed with him on his position.
The Obidients urged Yakassai to have a rethink, in view of the fact that there were better, younger and visionary Nigerians who were prepared to do a better job than his preferred candidate,Tinubu.
Tanko said: “With all due respect to our elder statesmen, grandfather, father and uncle, we respect his opinions on issues. We, however, beg to disagree with him on Tinubu’s re-election.
“There are younger hands who are equipped and ready to rebuild Nigeria by doing a far better job than what President Bola Tinubu is doing.
“We urge him to have a rethink about his position because the rate of poverty and hunger inflicted on all parts of Nigeria, especially the north where he comes from, is unprecedented in our nation’s history.
“The level of youth unemployment, due to the fact that this administration’s policies have led to the shutting down of factories and small businesses; should be a deterrent to those wishing for another four years for Tinubu who, within two years, has shown us how bad leadership choices can ruin nations.
“Nepotism has reached a level that our founding fathers never imagined was possible in our multicultural and multi-ethnic society. Our economy is in shambles.
“We plead with him to help the younger generation by supporting the emergence of a younger, better prepared person, to take over and lead the nation to take its pride of place in the comity of nations.
Tinubu’s 2027 defeat will be historic — PDP
Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, declared that President Bola Tinubu would face a historic defeat in the 2027 presidential election, citing a growing coalition of frustrated Nigerians determined to reshape the country’s political landscape.
The party’s Deputy National Youth Leader, Mr Timothy Osadolor, dismissed Yakasai’s assessment as ‘outdated perspectives,’ accusing Tinubu’s administration of lacking the competence and vision to lead Nigeria.
Osadolor said: “The evidence on the ground clearly indicates that President Bola Tinubu would not only be a one-term president, but the margin with which he will lose would be so wide.
“This coalition is about the soul of Nigeria and the future of our unborn children. It cannot be derailed or mismanaged by an administration that lacks the competence and vision to lead.
“Alhaji Tanko Yakasai is indeed a respected elder statesman in this country and his views should be taken seriously. However, there comes a time when even the most esteemed individuals may make statements that do not align with the current realities. ‘’If he did indeed make such a statement, it is likely born out of a place of, how would I put it, outdated perspectives.
VANGUARD.
