Former civilian Governor of Zamfara Sen. Ahmad Rufai Sani has made a formal declaration to contest for the President of Nigeria in the forthcoming 2023 presidential race.

Yarima who spoke during a BBC Hausa radio program “Gane Mani Hanya” said, since President Buhari is not contesting for President again he will continue to pursue his presidential aspiration.

“If God spares my life by 2023 I am going to contest for the post of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” Yarima declares.

Yarima further said, “In 2007 I have made similar attempt but the Arewa Consultative Forum and other respected elders of the North pleaded with me and other contenders to step down for Muhammadu Buhari, and we agreed.

“After I stepped down, I made a promise that once Muhammadu Buhari is aspiring for the post of the President, I will not contest with him. In 2017, when people asked me to contest I said unless if Muhammadu Buhari is not contesting for the second term I will contest” Yarima explained.

“Now that he has been elected as President twice and his tenure is ending in 2023, I decided to make a public pronouncement that I am contesting for the post of the President come 2023”.

On why, he insisted in becoming president of Nigeria Yarima said, “I served as Governor of Zamfara for eight good years, Senator for twelve good years so with the experiences I have gathered, I understand that Nigeria is suffering from two main problems, poverty, and illiteracy”.

“If government can come up with policies to enhance agriculture and live stock production, support small-scale entrepreneurship and everyone is empowered to do one business or the other, the issue of insecurity and other socio-economic issues crises affecting Nigerians will be addressed”.

On why, he shall aspire for the post of president when he knew fully that Muhammadu Buhari came from the North and from same geo-political zone with him, Yarima said “both the constitution of the APC and that of Nigeria do not provide room for zoning. If to say there is room for zoning and the post of the president is not zoned to someone’s area of geographical location, it would be an act of madness for the same person to aspire for the post. The emphasis on both constitutions is “Nigerian regardless of the zone he came from”.

“There is no zoning in APC constitution and even In the PDP constitution, and if you insist on zoning are you going to compel someone whose presidency is not zoned to his own geopolitical area to vote for someone he dislikes?” Yarima asked.