Former Zamfara State Governor, Ahmed Yarima, has received the go-ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari to join the race for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He met the president Friday shortly after Jumat prayers at the Presidential Villa to seek his blessing to contest for the ticket of the ruling party in next year’s election.
Speaking to correspondents as he emerged from the meeting, Yerima said he was at the seat of power to inform the president of his desire to run for the chance to succeed him in office.
“I’m here this afternoon to inform Mr President of my intention to participate in the 2023 elections and to contest the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I’m going to, Insha Allah, purchase my forms today and officially declare this afternoon.”
“Alhamdulilah, I think I’m very happy with the reception and the advice given to me. As a loyal party member, I informed Mr President that I’m ready at all times to accept the wishes and decisions of my party, the APC,” he stated.
The former governor, who is famous for introducing harsh Sharia law in Zamfara during his time as the state chief executive, said he acted within the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution to do what he did.
Asked how he hopes to convince Nigerians to support him given his draconian Sharia background, he explained: “On the issue of Sharia, I’m a Muslim and I say everywhere I go, that I am a Muslim and I want to die as a Muslim.
“As I said, I’m going to fight the problem of ignorance and this is one of them. People don’t know, a lot of people don’t know that the Constitution of Nigeria, Section 38, has provided for freedom of religion, including the freedom to change your religion, if you want to, to practice alone, or in a community with others, in private or in public.
“So, as a governor of the state, I followed the constitutional provision, prepared a law, sent it to the state assembly and they passed it into law, and I implemented what the Constitution of Nigeria has given me, the powers to do. And even in the Zamfara State, I have never, never required or asked or forced any Christian to follow the Islamic faith because I would have done an unconstitutional act.
“So, if I’m elected, by the grace of God, I’m going to be elected under the Constitution and I’m going to take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of Nigeria. So, I will never do anything unconstitutional.”
Yerima, who also represented Zamfara West in the Senate for 12 years, said if elected he would fight insecurity, poverty and ignorance.
On what would be his focus as president, the former Governor said: “I believe that having been the governor of Zamfara State for eight years, and having served Nigeria in the Senate of Nigeria for 12 years, I have been able to understand, properly, the problems of this country.
“Well, problems are dynamic, they change from time to time. When Mr President was elected, the major problem facing the country was three, which he declared that he was going to fight and I’m sure all Nigerians are aware Mr President has done his best.
“He told the country that he was going to fight corruption, insecurity and he’s going to work very hard to ensure economic development and prosperity of this country. On security, before he came in, Nigerians knew that if you go to places of worship, mosques or churches, you had to be screened before you entered those places. But today, we thank God that that is now history.
“On corruption and economy, you can see that by the time he was elected, the crude oil price was up to $140 per barrel, but as soon as he came in, because of the world economic problems and downturn, the crude oil price came down as low as $30 per barrel. If it were not Mr President, with his integrity and incorruptible personal position, this country would have not been what it is today.
“So, I’m sure every Nigerian knows that Mr President has done his best and today, our challenges are still new developments of insecurity; armed banditry. Boko Haram is gone, but we have new challenges of insecurity, armed banditry and poverty, because of the world economic problems. And there is still a lot of ignorance in our society.
“So, I have three points as well; to fight insecurity, fight poverty and ignorance. Some people think that if you say ignorance, you’re talking of only western education, no. Illiteracy is different from ignorance. There are people who are professors, who are well educated in western terms, but they’re ignorant of their society.
“That is why you see people talking about rotational presidency as if it is an allocation of power. The Constitution of Nigeria is very clear, every Nigerian is qualified to contest so long as he reaches the age prescribed for different offices.
“So, every Nigerian is qualified so long as he follows the constitutional provisions of this country to contest for any office and aspire to in any office of this country.”
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