2023: I’m A Supporter Of A President From The South – Yakasai

Elder statesman, Tanko Yakasai has blamed the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, for weakening the chances of the Igbo people to produce President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor in 2023.

The founding member of the Arewa Consultative Forum on Sunday noted that the people of the South-East must convince Nigerians beyond any reasonable doubt that they are capable of taking over in 2023.

Yakasai stated this during an interview on Channels TV on Sunday night.

The IPOB leader who is currently in the custody of the Department of States Services is facing terrorism-related charges before Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja.

There had been calls from socio-political groups, as well as governors in the South-East for the region to produce the next president at the end of Buhari’s administration.

The development has seen some politicians in the region dump the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress as part of permutations for the next presidential election.

Yakasai while speaking at the interview said the Igbo people must not sit back and demand that the next Presidency be zoned to them.

He added that he is a supporter of a presidential candidate from the South and would not mind if the person can come from the South-East.

He said, “The card is on the Southeastern people’s desk. It is up to them to try to reach out. I’m a strong supporter of a President from the South after Buhari and also if he can come from the South-East I have no problem.

“My quarrel is that this is not something you just stay at home and pray that people will just dash it to you; you have to show interest, you have to be serious, you have to try to convince people that you are really up to the task. This is what in my opinion is missing from the South-East.

“There is that desire on their part but they are not exact in their position to manifest that desire to convince people that are rarely serious about it.

“There is this anxiety in Nigeria about the position of the South-East because it is surprising to many people including people like me…This Nnamdi Kanu who ordinarily to me would not be a good candidate for the governorship of any of the South-Eastern state is now claiming the attention (and) support of prominent people in the South-East is making people doubt if the South-East is really ready to produce a credible candidate that would help Nigeria as a whole. That doubt is there.”