.Say’s he still stands by him
By Ujah Simon, Kaduna
A first republic politican and former adviser to late President Alhaji Shehu Shagari has made a striking revaluation on why he remained the last man standing as a non member of the vocal Northern Elderly Forun (NEF), hitherto.
The self confident independent minded Kano born advocate, Elder Tanko Yakasai who made the revelation in interview with our correspondent in the heat of #ENDSARS Protest, said NEF whole-heatedly threw it’s support behind General Muhammadu Buhari candidature during Presidential election in 2015.He also said while NEF were Pro – Buhari, the Pro – Jonathan faction of the forum he belonged, came up with the body know as Northern Elder Council {NEC) spearheaded by his humble self.
Elder Yakasai also explained that their reason for supporting Jonathan in 2015 Presidential election was solely to finish his two tenure or terms from the zone, adding that the notion was jamane and well intended.
According to him, the idea was intending and in line with the ideology of the political party arrangements agreed upon by all members on rotational bases.In addition to that, he noted, that membership of NEF comprised mostly of only northerners, if not all, and therefore negate the unity of purpose and need to continue to speaks on behalf of the entire country, among other sundry issues.His words: “Why I’m not a member of NEF and why my own NEC is not operating is because the NEF forum supported Buhari, why we in NEC, supported Jonathan in 2915, to complete his two terms as it was done by Obasanjo in line with the idea of our rotation arrangement.
This is because rotation was idea of NPN recommended for between north and south at that time when 36 states was not in place. Now, with 36 states, we feel we should not have Organisation speaking on behalf of the whole people because all the members of northern elders forum are from the north. “ACF is the only Organisation accepted by the people in the north as their own. The elders forum was a meeting of people who supported Buhari candidature, why the elders council was form by people who did not support Buhari, but Jonathan. And our reason for supporting Jonathan is to do his full two terms so that South-South will be able to complete two terms like we did under Obasanjo.The intention was to ensure every of the six geopolitical zone has opportunity to rule the country for two terms so that rotation will be meaningful. So, we still stands by that arrangements till today”, elder Yakasai stated.
Yakasai who was responding to question on his thought on the position statement of the NEF on storming EndSARS protest, said “I am not a member. I’ve not read it, but what I don’t know for truth is that who’s the official spokesman of the forum. “We used to hear Ango Abdullahi, but I doubt because he issue statements in he’s own capacity and not on the basis of NEF meeting. “Did you ask Ango why he stop speaking on behalf of the group which he has been doing before? Ango said Hakeem Baba Ahmed is the spokesman who signe the position statement on behalf of the group. “But ask him why was he speaking on behalf of the forum before? “Because what I was told by members of the group who are friends, was that Ango was speaking on his own. That he was issuing statement without holding any meeting. “Even most statement which Hakeem baba Ahmed, who is now appointed as spokesman of the group issued, are not on behalf of the meeting but based on his personal opinion, and he never call them a communique of a meeting. You know what Communique mean. I’ve been the Publicity secretary right from 1954 for about 20 years. End
