In a moment from now, eminent delegates of the All Progressive Congress (APC) from all over the country will file out for primaries to elect a flag bearer for the 2023 Presidential race. The contest, undoubtedly, is going to be keen, interesting and energy-sapping. It will be epoch-making.
For one thing, APC as a party, that has conducted its affairs with absolute decorum and high sense of responsibility deserves a candidate, that will take Nigeria to greater height and complement the efforts of Buhari administration.
One aspirant, out of many in the APC fold jostling for the presidential ticket, that stands out eminently for such responsibility, is Alhaji Ahmed Sani Rufai, (Yarima Bakura) and the former executive governor of Zamfara State. Alhaji Yarima had since 2006, sent out the signals, that he meant business to provide unwavering leadership for our great country, with a view to solving her multi-faceted problems with candour.
Yarima has since 2006 put up a think tank committee of distinguished Nigerians, who worked hard and succeeded in fashioning out his well articulated programme to put Nigeria steadily on the path of growth.
That Yarima is the best choice of the APC delegates is saying the obvious. Since 2006, the impact of Yarima presidential aspiration has taken roots in every parts of the country. There is no state, where a mobilization vehicle of either Yarima Solidarity Association, Yarima Bakura Movement or Yarima Network Alliance could not be found, sensitizing the electorate about Yarima’s genuine desire to offer them selfless service. No other candidate in the APC fold has been able to take such bold initiative to launch themselves into the hearts of party men and women.
There is no doubt that Yarima has come a long way in his presidential campaign primaries as the cross section of notable politicians across the country, continue to pay glowing tributes to him without sentiment. Deep down at the grassroots, the delegates know who their candidate is at the APC presidential convention and it is Yarima.
Yarima’s exploit in Zamfara in many fields of human endeavours are nationally achievable. Talk of food self sufficiency, security of lives and properties, religious tolerance, financial prudence, infrastructural development and sustainable democracy. According to Senator Yarima and I quote: “Whether one is a clerk in the church or in the mosque, they are all human beings; they are all Nigerians and they should have interest in the peaceful co-existence of Nigeria economic growth and sustainable development of the country. They should have interest in ensuring peace in this nation”. He approved Certificate of Occupancy for Churches in Zamfara, when he was the governor. That was vintage Yarima. His standing as stated above, totally negates the wrong notion in certain quarters, that he is a religious zealot. Sharia is all about been a good human being.
So far, and from all indications, it is Yarima Vs. Yarima in the APC presidential primaries, coming up in a moment from now. He has worked for it. Yarima has shown resilience. He has demonstrated perseverance and party loyalty and its sustenance, when others went to sleep, only to wake up now hurriedly to make a passing appearance in the race.
Internationally, Yarima has carved a niche for himself as attested to by testimonies from the Western world in their assessment of him in his service to the nation at various levels. Yarima Bakura has cultivated far-reaching and beneficial interests across the globe without necessarily being subservient about it.
Yarima remains a principled man, whose nationalistic zest and zeal cannot be negotiated. He relies absolutely on the goodwill he has cultivated over the years to marshal his campaign outings and this has worked out tremendously well for him.. He is perfectly entitled to slug out with other contestants. Given the fact that APC is a transparent party, there wouldn’t be any problem for Yarima emerging under such arrangement of free and fair primaries.
As a demonstration of his love for peaceful co-existence among Nigerians of whatever persuasions, Senator Ahmad Sani Rufai (Yarima Bakura) at the heat of the Shasha, Oyo State mayhem sometimes ago, visited the Hausa and Yoruba communities concerned and preached love and peace. His efforts went a long way to abate the crisis and peace was restored. He was at the burial ceremony of Late Alhaji Lateef Jakande to commiserate with the people of Lagos State. He is a detribalized Nigeria.
Senator Ahmed Sani Rufai (Yarima Bakura) is a man of power, that do not pace the earth wildly, nor trudge any path chumsily. He is a true politician, that never yield to blind arrogance and delusional self- importance. He is a true Nigerian, that recognizes, that the source of their capricious influence, can only be fortified by God’s mercy. He is unusually generously good and entirely God-fearing. A man of immense knowledge, native wisdom and boundless humanity.
So for Yarima, it will be a goal, scored in a grand style, after an epic and protracted play against concerted forces of fate. And so the APC presidential ticket is clinched by Yarima.
*OLUMIDE LAWAL writes from Ede, Osun State.
