From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Elder statesman and Second Republic politician Tanko Yakassai has warned that the politics of 2023 should not be used to undermine the stability of the country.
Tanko made this statement while expressing concern over the recent invitation of the former Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Speaking during an interview with the media in Kano on Monday, Yakassai observed that Saraki, like every other Nigerian, has the right to aspire for the Presidency, while saying that no attempt should be made by his rivals to put an obstacle on the path of this ambition.
‘Bukola is very qualified to become the President of Nigeria and he should be free to canvass his political ambition just like any other qualified Nigerian,’ said the Second Republic adviser to late President Shehu Shagari.
Yakassai held that the dominant perception was ‘that this move against Bukola might have something to do with his perceived presidential ambition- to prevent or interference with that ambition”
‘I hope the move against Bukola is not a beginning of political intimidation or harassment by his perceived political opponents or the party in power.’ he noted.
Yakassai called attention to the fact that the former Senate President was the most investigated and the most persecuted Nigerian politician known to be nursing a presidential ambition, adding that this was not the first time he was being targeted by some security operatives in Nigeria.
While thanking God that he has so far emerged clean and vindicated by several Nigerian courts, Yakassai however insisted that there should be an end to all these unnecessary attempts to silence or to scare him.
He appealed to the current EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, to be firm and apolitical in the discharge of his duties while noting that from his professional conduct, he has been a good professional who would not allow anybody to use his Commission for political gains.
He also appealed to those in government to allow security agencies to perform their duties free of undue interference while appealing to security agencies not to allow anybody to use their office to settle political scores or to persecute perceived political opponents.