Senator Sani Yerima, former governor of Zamfara State has insisted on his constitutional rights to run for president in 2023 as a citizen of Nigeria, irrespective of the pressure from Southern Governors to zone the presidency to the South.

The forum of Southern Governors had in their recent meeting in Lagos insisted on bipartisan zoning of the presidency by the leading political parties to the south in 2023, a position that has attracted divergent opinions.

Alhaji Yerima, who has not hidden his intentions to give a shot at the presidency come 2023 however, said the demand of the southern governors is not backed by any known law of the country and not supported by any democratic norms as enshrined in various constitutions of the political parties.

In an interview he granted journalists in Abuja at the weekend, Senator Yerima maintained that the presidency should not be by allocation.

According to him, the attempt to push for the zoning of the presidency is motivated by selfish interest, and a subtle move to acquire power by allocation.

He stressed that until the constitution of the country or those of political parties are amended to provide for zoning, no resolution of any group would bar him from pursuing his ambition.

Yerima however explained that should his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) decides to zone the presidency to the south, that he would have no choice but to toe the part of his party. In that regard, he would rest his ambition as power comes from God through the people.

He said: “Well, I don’t see anybody language either as a law or as a document that guides us in politics and in politicking.

“As far as I am concerned, democracy is guided by the constitution; by rule of law. It is not the personal interest of people, the selfish interest of individuals or the projections by other people statements that will guide our democracy.

“If you look at all other parts of the world, from America that is the leader of democracy of the world, citizens are guided by the document called the constitution to aspire for any office.

“As far as I am concerned, the Nigerian Constitution and that of APC as of today, unless there is any amendment in the future, has declared that every Nigerian who is qualified based on the qualification that is enshrined in the constitution should aspire for any office in the land; Governor, State Assembly, National Assembly.

“Therefore, as far as I am concerned, my constitution both party and national, has not barred me from contesting for Presidency. So no statement of any group can stop me.

“But, you see, if tomorrow my party comes up and say we have zoned 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.

“But 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.

“You see, I am a very religious person as a Muslim, I know that power comes from God first and if God 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 become ANPP (All Nigerian Peoples Party) and later merged and become 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 off but am sure that God Himself will decide not people.

“You see we are Nigerians and I believe citizenship is very important. I pray that one day we will become like America, UK, France where citizenship overrides all other considerations; ethnic, religious, tribal. All these things are because we don’t take citizenship as we are supposed to take it.

” Voters are supposed to determine not me, not you, not any regional Governors. Voters will determine who they want to elect. Every Nigerian citizen should come out with something that he is going to offer to the people, sell himself.

“This is what I have for education, housing, infrastructural provision and so on, human development and then they will compare and see between Mr A and B who is supposed to be our President. It’s not regional.

“Let me ask you one question: let’s say now we zone to Rivers State, even within Rivers you see people saying that is Ijaw, that is this and that. Is it politics?

“The constitution is very clear, people are politically illiterate because they don’t read the constitution, even if they read because of personal and selfish interests, they want to acquire power by allocation. It is not done in politics

“People should be allowed to go and contest, present themselves, offer what they want to offer to the nation and Nigerians will decide and see who is going to be our best President.

“So it is not by allocation, zoning or no zoning that is not an issue. As far as I am concerned, it is democracy and democracy has some principles and practices that have to be followed.

“Nobody will sit in Lagos and say that these governors were elected. Were they elected based on zoning from their states? No!

“Go to Benue State, tell them that it is now the turn of Idomas will you force the Tivs to vote for Idoma? But if they have an Idoma candidate that is very good, credible, I am sure the Tivs will not say he is an Idoma.

“That’s what we should aspire as Nigerians to make sure that citizenship is more important to us than any other. “