North will not vote along religious, ethnic lines – Yerima Shettima

Chairman of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Yerima Shettima, says the presidential candidates on parade for the 2023 presidential election, are not ideal. He, however, said among them his group will settle for the least awful. He speaks with News Editor, ISHAYA IBRAHIM  from his base in Kaduna.

You once advised all the major parties to field younger candidates. Now that the mean age of the major contenders is above 60, what is your stand now?

My stand is very clear. We will look at the lesser evil and go with it. They all can’t be the same. We can’t say because we didn’t get what we wanted, then we would ignore the election. Certainly, we will not make that mistake. But we will get there someday.

When you say lesser evil, are you looking at it age-wise, or are there other considerations?

Age will not really matter in this situation now. Age will not count. But we are going to look at the competence, experience and antecedents of those who are coming to the fore so that we can do the needful. But we will work ahead of future elections to ensure that the political parties are compelled to field candidates of younger generations so that we can have the desired leadership to occupy the political space.

There was a time you said Buhari hasn’t really represented the North. I don’t know whether you still stand on that in terms of the choice of whom you support in 2023.

I still stand that Buhari’s government does not represent the north because the north today, whether you like it or not, and I stand to be corrected. The north is the most setback, the most suffered region in the country under this Buhari administration. So, we are the direct victims of this administration. There is nothing to change. That’s the reality.

READ ALSO

With BVAS, INEC tied its own hands and power is now with Nigerians – Ugwu-Oju

So, you are saying that you are not likely to support a Southern candidate for the purpose of equity and justice.

I have told you what I want and what I feel. This time around, religion, or tribe may not even count at all. And I have said it earlier. You don’t even need to ask me what you are asking me now.

So, among the candidates so far, have you seen any lesser evil?

I will let you know when the time comes.

But among the candidates are there those you think will represent what you believe in.

God’s willing, there are those who will represent what I believe in but not what I believe. What will be better for the country, because I’m more concerned about Nigeria than my personal interest.  

When you talk about competence, some may argue that all of them are actually competent. Somebody who has been governor, senator or former vice president, they can all be described as competent. So, you may have to define what you mean by competence.

If you are married to two wives, you will understand the place of competence. Among the two wives, you will know which is better. And that, you will keep it personal until when the time comes. Then you will find the door and do exactly what you are supposed to do for her. So, we are observing all the candidates closely and consulting widely too.