Politics Why dying Yar’Adua was sneaked into Nigeria without Jonathan’s knowledge - Premium T

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Tanko Yakasai was the adviser to President Shehu Shagari (1979-1983) on National Assembly matters.

A prominent politician and elder statesman from Kano, Mr. Yakasai has been in politics since 1946 when he was just 20 years old. Since venturing into politics over 60 years ago, Mr. Yakasai has never been quiet and has never failed to speak up on any crucial political issue.

The octogenarian sought out leading Hausa newspaper, RARIYA, after reading the interview (also published by PREMIUM TIMES) granted to it by former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, to, in his words, set the records straight on some issues raised by the former vice president.

Click to read interview

Some Quotes:
The politics of Nigeria has changed from serving the country, to serving self. Both the one seeking for vote and the one voting are all looking for what to get out of it.

That was when Action Group officials realised that as long as the north continued to hold that numerical advantage, no Southerner would ever become successful. Upon realising that they cannot form the government through election, they began to scheme on how to topple the government, which led to the arrest of the leader of the Action Group and his lieutenants. They were prosecuted and imprisoned.

Q: I recall that even when you were agitating that Yar’Adua should not hand over power to Jonathan from his sick bed in Saudi Arabia; you were very few and did not get the support of northern leaders?
We were very few indeed; we were just about three or four. I was doing that because I saw what happened in Cameroun between Paul Biya and his predecessor, Ahmadu Ahidjo, when Ahidjo travelled for medical treatment. I was also doing it for posterity.

Q. Let’s go back to the Yoruba and their politics; you were talking about Ribadu, right?

Yes, what I want you to understand is that they were just using us. They supported Ribadu because they knew he would not win, and they would not even vote for him. And now, they would still support another northern candidate, whether he wins or not, they don’t care. In fact they already knew it cannot be won.

There is widespread corruption even now, but the newspapers only focus their attention wherever they want, not necessarily where the corruption is taking place. You see newspaper looking the other way, even if they knew something wrong is happening in a particular place because of certain interests.

So when they met with Buhari while they were seeing off President Shagari, Solomon Lar excused Buhari aside and said he wanted to see him, and would come see him at home. But Buhari said how can you a governor come to my house? Lar insisted that he would go. So he went to Buhari’s house and informed him that it was Shagari that sent him to let him know that there was a rumour going round that they were planning a coup.
 
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