The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has set conditions for Bola Tinubu, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to support his presidential bid in 2023.
Yerima Shettima, the National President of the AYCF, told DailyPost that the North would examine his relationship with Nigerians from other regions before determining whether or not to support Tinubu’s presidential bid.
The willingness of the former Lagos State governor to maintain good ties with other regions, according to the AYCF chief, would be a deciding factor for the North.
“If Tinubu chooses to run, there will be a way for us to react. We would definitely look at his relationship with other Nigerians outside the Southwest, how fair he has been to us other Nigerians outside the Southwest if he chooses to run “Shettima remarked.
“What has he done to offer back to other Nigerians outside his country, and how far has he been able to establish good relationships outside the Southwest? We’ll talk about it; only time will tell.”
There has been speculation that the former governor of Lagos State will run for president in 2023.
Tinubu has not announced his intention to run for president, despite rumors and pressure from some Nigerians.
Until negotiating for the presidency in 2023, Arewa youths urged Igbo leaders to negotiate with IPOB’s Nnamdi Kanu and other pro-Biafra activists.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo (Worldwide) had expressed confidence that the South-East would produce President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor in 2023.
Reacting, Shettima said it would be difficult to trust the South-East with power amid the call for Nigeria’s breakup.
He said, “If Ohanaeze says they will negotiate, then that is a bit of politics but unfortunately for them, they need to ensure sanity in their region first.
“No one can deny them the ability to create a president who is a Nigerian, but not when one of their own (Nnamdi Kanu) is threatening the nation’s corporate life.”