2023: Ex-Zamfara State Governor joins 2023 presidential race

2023: Ex-Zamfara State Governor joins 2023 presidential race

AREWA AGENDA – Senator Sani Yerima, a former Governor of Zamfara State, has joined the 2023 presidential race on the platform of the All Progressives congress with a pledge to holistically address the country’s security challenges.

Yerima spoke on Friday in Abuja when Senator Bala Adamu, Director-General Yerima Support Organisations, presented the APC Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to contest the 2023 presidential election to him.

He said that if elected as the country’s next president in 2023, he would create a Ministry of Religious Affairs to address issues of social and religious decadence in the society.

He said: “We will use our Christian and Islamic clerics to ensure that decorum is brought back to the society.

“We will create a Ministry of Religious Affairs so that we have a Minister of Muslim Affairs and a Minister of Christian Affairs.

“We will make sure that the leadership of the Bishops and serving clerics truly appreciate God.”

Yerima said section 38 of the country’s Constitution granted Nigerians freedom of religion, to worship alone or in community with others, in private or in public.

He added that God did not make a mistake to create Nigerians together as Christians and Muslims.

He said if elected as the country’s next president in 2023, his administration would fight issues of ignorance and ensure that the people were properly educated.

He said: “Under my administration, every Nigerian child must go to school.

“We will have free education and establish a functional students’ loan board to make financial resources available to every poor or rich Nigerian child to access education.”

Yerima commended the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for its fight against insecurity and terrorism in the country.

According to him, gone are the days when people were screened before entering Churches and Mosques.

He said he would approve community policing across the federation to address insecurity and acts of terrorism in the country, especially in the North East.

He said the details of his programmes would be made public in due time, adding: “The take home is that Yerima will fight security, poverty and ignorance among Nigerians.”

Adamu, the Director-General Yerima Support Organisations, said the forms were purchased for Yerima through contributions from his different support groups from across the federation.

Present at the event were Muslim and Christian clerics, Yerima support organisations and women and youth representatives from across the federation.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the APC expression of interest and nomination forms is being sold for N100 million for presidential aspirants, while governorship aspirants are paying N50 million for the forms.

Apart from Pastor Tunde Bakare, Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, formerly Latter Rain Assembly, and Nicholas Bello that came personally to buy their forms, other aspirants purchased theirs by proxy.

Alhaji Sulaiman Arugugu, APC National Organising Secretary, said 241 aspirants had purchased the party’s senatorial forms, 821 for the House of Representatives and 1,505 for the 36 State Houses of Assembly.

The Eagle Online noted some of those in the APC 2023 presidential race include Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rotimi Amaechi and Rochas Okorocha.

Others are Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Dr. Chris Ngige, Chukwuemeka Nwajuba, Governor David Umuahi and Senator Ken Nnamani.

Also in the race is Governor Kayode Fayemi, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Pastor Tunde Bakare.

Adams Oshiomhole, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Godwin Emefiele and Uju Ohanenye, a female aspirant, are also in the race.

The APC special presidential primary convention is scheduled to hold from May 30 to June 1.