Why Buhari can’t support Tinubu for President in 2023 – Yarima

The former Governor of Zamfara State and originator of Sharia Law in northern states, Senator Ahmed Sani Yarima, has expressed doubt that President Muhammadu Buhari signed agreement with the national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to handover the president to him in 2023 after the second tenure. Yarima, in a media interaction, said that even if such agreement exists; it cannot be implemented in the APC. He maintained that President Buhari has declared his neutrality in the horse trading for APC 2023 presidential ticket, and therefore, cannot endorse Tinubu as his successor. He said that such insinuation is mere speculation.

President Buhari is alleged to have signed an agreement with Tinubu, to hand over to him in 2023. Yarima, though doubting such agreement, emphasized that modern politics in Nigeria has gone beyond clique decision process. He stated Nigeria does not belong to any political principal, saying: “and I don’t think anyone in any position can determine what Nigeria should have. Politics is about election – for people to decide what they want. So, it is the majority of the people that will determine who they want.” He insisted that if such agreement was signed, it cannot guarantee the beneficiary the APC ticket.

“If he signed an agreement with Asiwaju, that agreement cannot be implemented even in getting the ticket. “It cannot guarantee Asiwaju a ticket,” Yarima declared.

The former governor emphasized that President Buhari has declared; and the party has decided that APC primary election is going to be direct. “Will he direct everybody to go and vote for Asiwaju,” Yarima asked.

He expressed his belief that the APC primary election will be a free and fair. “Agreement or no agreement is a political statement, but I don’t think that is possible because I don’t think that the Buhari that I know will sign any agreement. He knows that he doesn’t have the powers and the authority to hand over power to whomever he so wishes. He said it is going to be free and fair; in fact, he even said it in the open that he doesn’t have any candidate. So, these are just speculations,” Yarima declared.