2023: Former Governor, Yarima Declares Intention To Run For Presidency

A former Governor of Zamfara State, Ahmad Sani Yarima has declared his intention to join the 2023 Presidential race.

Yarima while speaking during a BBC Hausa Service programme said he would contest in the general elections since President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure is ending.

He said, “If God spares my life, by 2023 I would go into the contest for the post of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“In 2007 I made similar attempts but the Arewa Consultative Forum and other respected elders of the North pleaded with me and other contenders to step down for Muhammadu Buhari and I agreed.

“I made a vow that once Muhammadu Buhari was aspiring for the position of the President, I will not contest with him. In the 2019 election, people asked me to contest I said unless Muhammadu Buhari would not be contesting for the second term I will contest.

“Now that he has been elected as President twice and his tenure is ending up in 2023, I decided to make a public pronouncement that I am contesting for the post of the President come 2023”

Yarima while stating why is he interested in running for the presidency said, “I served as Governor of Zamfara for eight years, I was in the Senate for twelve years so with the experiences I have gathered, I understand that Nigeria is suffering from two main problems, poverty and illiteracy.

“If the government can come up with policies to enhance agriculture and livestock production, support small–scale entrepreneurship and everyone is empowered to do one business or the other, the issue of insecurity and other socio-economic issues crises affecting Nigerians will be addressed.”

The former Governor when asked why he is contesting knowing that Buhari is from the North said, “both the constitution of the APC and that of Nigeria does not provide room for zoning.”

“If there is room for zoning and the post of the presidency is not zoned to someone’s geographical zone, it would be an act of madness for the same person to aspire for the post.

“There is no zoning in the APC constitution and even in the PDP constitution and if you insist on zoning, are you going to compel someone whose presidency is not zoned to his own geopolitical area to vote for someone he dislikes?” he asked.