Yakasai to Clark: Stop issuing threats over 2023 presidency

An elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, yesterday tackled Chief Edwin Clark, asking him to stop issuing threats when contributing to national discourse. Clark, had in a statement on Monday asked northerners aspiring for the presidency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to withdraw from the race, saying “to do otherwise is to […]

An elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, yesterday tackled Chief Edwin Clark, asking him to stop issuing threats when contributing to national discourse.

Clark, had in a statement on Monday asked northerners aspiring for the presidency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to withdraw from the race, saying “to do otherwise is to invite chaos, which will lead to the disintegration of our dear country.”

Yakasai, who is in his late 90s, in his reaction, warned Clark against issuing threats. 

Recalled that Yakasai, had previously supported the quest of southerners to produce the next president of the country.

Yakasai, who was a former Senior Adviser on National Assembly matters to ex-President Shehu Shagari, said: “Chief Clark is not the only elder statesman that issues such threats on unity and peaceful coexistence in our country. There is another elder statesman, who is also a friend of mine and who is fond of resorting to threats when discussing national issues.

“I think at our age, we should avoid resorting to threats whenever we are discussing national issues. What is expected of people at our age is to provide leadership by way of offering advice and correcting any mistake we discover made by younger Nigerians in the course of national discourse.

“Threats are not expected from senior citizens in any country. What is expected of the senior citizens is leadership, moderation and guidance. 

“At the age of more than one hundred years of existence as a united country, what Nigeria needs from the leaders is maturity in any discussion, so that those of us with advancement in age would be moderation and exemplary leadership to the younger generation.”

Yakasai, therefore, appealed to “fellow elderly colleagues to please watch their language when contributing in an important national discourse”, stressing that it will “make their contributions more positive in moving our nation forward than disuniting the people.”