Yerima insists on running for Presidency in 2023

Former Zamfara State governor, Sani Yerima, has insisted on entering the race for the 2023 presidential election despite calls for it to be zoned to the south.

Yerima who bared his mind at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, said there is nothing in the constitution of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that says the presidency should be rotational, but will only withdraw from the race if the party zones its ticket to the south.

“Yes, I want to confirm to you that by the special grace of God, if I’m alive, I, Senator Ahmed Sani, intend to vie for presidential office,” Yerima said.

Continuing, he added:

“So long as the Constitution is still saying citizens of Nigeria and APC constitution is saying ‘citizens of Nigeria’, I am a citizen of Nigeria. I am going to contest.

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“But, you see, if tomorrow my party the APC, comes up and says we have zoned the Presidency to the South, I, Yerima, will follow it. I will then know that it is a decision legally and lawful that is binding on all members of the party.”

The erstwhile senator said he had not seen the reason for backing out of the race, not even with the call by the southern governors at their last summit in Lagos, unless the party declares otherwise.

On the possibility of leaving the APC to another party to achieve his ambition if it favours a southern presidential candidate, Yerima said he was not the kind of politician who moves from one party to another.

“You see, I am a very religious person. As a Muslim, I know that power comes from God, first. If God has destined that I’m going to be the President, that will not happen.

“I have never left my party. I started with APP (All Peoples Party); we merged and became ANPP (All Nigerian Peoples Party). Later, we merged and became APC (All Progressives Congress).

“So, I am a member of APC and I am not in any way thinking of moving from my party to another party.

“So, once there is zoning, I know that my time is up. But I am sure that God Himself will decide, not the people,” he said.

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