By Kolawole Ojebisi
An elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, has said the odds are currently in favour of President Bola Tinubu to retain his seat in 2027.
Yakassai, a second Republic Presidential Adviser to Shehu Shagari stated that Tinubu has not done anything against the North to warrant the whole region to unanimously work against his re-election bid.
Yakasai stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
The nonagenarian, who is a prominent member of Arewa Consultative Forum, dispelled the speculation that the Northern socio-political organisation has not taken a position to support a candidate from the zone.
“I haven’t heard anybody making any proposition about the 2027 presidential election from Arewa Consultative Forum.
“What is tagged the Arewa Consultative Forum or Northern Elders Forum’s position is mere individual opinions, because all sections of the north have not taken a stand on this,” he said.
He continued, ” In Nigeria today, Bola Tinubu is the president. He has his ministers and governors who are backing him.
“Who else has all what it takes to move into the contest with the kind of stamina and strength to be more successful comparatively with Tinubu?” he asked.
“We should all wait and see if the picture will change drastically, otherwise for now, the odds are in his (Tinubu’s) favour because I have not seen anything that will prevent him from winning the next election.
“He hasn’t done anything against the north in my understanding and the north alone cannot decide who becomes the president of the country,” he said.
Yakassai ascribed the apparent headstart Tinubu has over other potential presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 election to the crisis rocking some of the major opposition parties .
