•No suspicion between North and South, but…
•I’ll miss Clark, Adebanjo
•You can’t blame anyone for Nigeria’s woes
•Before I die, I want good governance for Nigeria
•Backs establishment of zonal police in tackling insecurity
By Dapo Akinrefon
Vanguard had 12 questions for the 99 year-old elder statesman, Tanko Yakasai, but he suddenly changed his mind telling this reporter he would respond to just six questions.
His responses are short and sharp manifesting his wealth of experience.
The former Liaison Officer to late President Shehu Shagari is a founding member of the Arewa Consultative Forum. In this interview with Vanguard, Yakasai is optimistic of witnessing good governance in Nigeria in his lifetime.
He speaks on many issues, including the tax reforms bills; the need for the establishment of a zonal police to tackle insecurity and why nobody should be blamed for Nigeria’s woes.
He also bares his mind on recent remarks by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje that there is no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2027. Excerpts:
The tax reform bills are before the National Assembly, there was a time when the North rose against the bills, saying that it was aimed at short-changing the region. Do you agree with them, and what are your thoughts?
Well, if the whole North is against something, whether I know it or not, I am against it because I am from the North. But I do not agree with you that the whole North was against it. Some (parts of the) North was against it.
There are still reservations. The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, came out to say that the National Assembly should ensure that it will short-change the region.
I told you that if the majority of the North, or if the whole of the North is against something, then I am against it because I am from there.
Let us go to the issue of insecurity in the North…
Well, insecurity is a national issue.
Do you agree with me that it is more pronounced in the North?
It is all over the country. It is all over the country.
Do you suspect that some people are benefiting from the insecurity in the country?
No, no, I do not think so.
What do you think the Federal Government should do in ensuring that there is peace in the country, especially when it comes to tackling insecurity?
Well, there was a move at one time to establish a zonal police establishment. Because this problem is not limited to one side of the country, it is a national problem. At that time, the suggestion was to have six police establishments. I think the issue should be revisited because it is a good idea. The police force is not enough to cover the whole country. There can be a zonal set up and people will know their areas and their locality. They will be in a better position to handle the problems more effectively.
Does this mean that you support state police?
No. State police is subject to manipulation by individuals and political interests. At one time, there was a move for zonal police. If anybody is in favour of a zonal police, I would support it.
Now, there is this allegation against a section of the North that when former President Muhammadu Buhari was in power, the North did not castigate his administ-ration’s policies…
It is a stupid issue. The President of Nigeria is a President of Nigeria whether he is from the North or from the South. When Buhari was in power, he was in power for eight years ruling Nigeria.
As an elder statesman, why do you think there is this suspicion between the South and the North?
No, no, no. There is no suspicion between the North and South.
Former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, recently launched his book, where he explained why he annulled the June 12 election. As a result, people have been hurling all sorts of insults against him. What is your opinion on this?
He is entitled to talk whatever he feels like talking. That is democracy. Nobody can force somebody to make a statement. It is up to him to make it at the time he chooses to make it.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje has said there is no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2027, he was also supported by the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Mattawalle. Do you agree with them?
It is within their rights (Ganduje and Mattawalle) to seek for the reelection of their party’s candidate when the time comes. Personally, I believe that in Nigeria’s politics today, as has been the practice, President Tinubu will seek a second term and is most likely to win because he has the resources to back his ambition.
We are practicing democracy and as such, democratic norms and conventions as well as our constitution, should be our guiding principles. 2027 is still about two years away.
Two elder statesmen, Edwin Clark, and Chief Ayo Adebanjo recently passed on. What do you miss about them?
I issued a statement in respect of their deaths. The country is in mourning as a result of their death. And I pray for the repose of their souls. They were my friends for many years, especially Edwin Clark.
Clark was a commissioner at the same time I was a commissioner and when former Military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd) elevated him to becoming a Federal Commissioner for Information, I was also made a Federal Commissioner. Clark stayed for the entire period of the Gowon administration. We completed it at the same time when the Gowon administration ended.
What would you miss about them?
They were personal friends, both of them. We knew each other for more than 50 years. The death of anybody, somebody knows as a friend to him for 50 years, he will feel bitter, he will be unhappy. I am not happy, but we are bound to die one day, all of us.
Before us, billions of people died, and billions of people will continue to die. God created people, animals, anything that has life to live, and they play a vital role, and to take his life whenever he so wishes. So, it is a great loss to the nation, but each one of them was approaching 100 years. They have done their best. They enjoyed their liberty in their country.
Who is to be blamed for Nigeria’s problem – leaders or the followers?
Every country has its problems. You can not single out an individual or a group of people as the cause to make peace. The creation of God, be it in America, Russia, China, all of them have problems. Wherever you have people, human beings, you have problems. And it is the human beings who will seek the help of God to overcome their problems.
You are approaching 100, and you have seen so many things in Nigeria. What is the Nigeria of your dreams?
If you have gone through my political activities, you will see that I devoted most of my time fighting for the unity of the country, and also fighting for democracy, in which everybody would have the right, both old and young, to pick the leaders of his choice. I fought for good governance in the country. And this is what I want.
The post At 99, all I want for Nigeria is unity, good governance — TANKO YAKASAI appeared first on Vanguard News.
