Second Republic politician and elder statesman, Tanko Yakasai, has urged Nigerians to always support people for what they can do for Nigeria not because of their tribe or religion.
On why he supported Jonathan’s reelection in 2015 he said, "I don’t support people because they are Hausa Fulani or because they are from the North and I don’t support people because they are Muslims. Rather, I only support people because of what they can do for Nigeria."
The Elder statesman said this in an interview with SUN.
His words, "I supported the second term bid of President Goodluck Jonathan without ever meeting him on a one- to- one basis in my life. No doubt, I met him in public on a number of occasions, but I never met him in person, except once and that just was a week before the Presidential elections and it was in the interest of national stability. The meeting had no connection whatsoever with his electioneering.
"I felt I should support Jonathan this time around even though I was initially against his emergence for the 2011 Presidential race, as I even went to court against him at that time. I was not against him personally but I was against the National Assembly for adopting the so called, “Doctrine of Necessity” to confer the Acting Presidency on the Vice President at that time.
"That was because that mandate was given to Yar’Adua and nobody had power, under our constitution, to transfer that mandate to any other person. The case is still pending in court and the judgment is yet to be delivered despite the adoption of the addressees by counsels representing the two parties. I did all that in the interest of the political stability of Nigeria.
"I was a member of NPN and NPN was the first political party in Nigeria to introduce the concept of zoning and rotation in the country, a philosophy I held religiously as a member of that party. This is because I realized that all the political crisis in Nigeria, from independence to date, were associated with the control of power at the center. I am in support of the idea of rotation so that every section of Nigeria would have the opportunity to produce the President of this country so as to have a sense of belonging. I don’t support people because they are Hausa Fulani or because they are from the North and I don’t support people because they are Muslims. Rather, I only support people because of what they can do for Nigeria.
"I have never been a member of the PDP and as a matter of fact, I don’t belong to any political party. The last time I was a member of a political party was in the year 2001, when I resigned from APP. And from Shagari’s administration to date, I have never held any public office. I am not looking for any office from the government.
"On the contrary, the spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum, Professor Ango Abdullahi lobbied and was appointed by Jonathan twice as the Pro- Chancellor of Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. He was given emoluments and accommodation. I was never appointed to any public office by the Jonathan’s administration or any other administration before him under the present dispensation, but I am doing what I am doing in the interest of this country.
"I spent more than 65 years in my over 90 years of existence in the service of this nation. I, therefore, appeal to Nigerians to support people for what they can do for Nigeria not because of their tribal, religious or sectional affinity.
