Salihu Tanko Yakasai: Nigerians want change — they’re tired of APC, PDP

Salihu Tanko Yakasai, governorship candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in Kano, says Nigerians are tired of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Yakasai said this on Wednesday at a dialogue series organised by the Kano chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Kano.

In February 2021, Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, sacked Yakasai, who was his director-general of media at the time, for making comments considered critical of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking on his chances in the forthcoming general election, the governorship candidate said what Nigerians want is change.

“I am not afraid of the big parties. Rather, they are afraid of us,” he said.

“I am not afraid of the big political parties. People have seen them and what they have to offer. The generality of Nigerians is tired of APC and PDP. Nigerians want change.

“Nigerians are voting for individuals, not big political parties. The PDP and APC are birds of the same feather. The PRP has the capacity, competence and ability to win elections, particularly, here in Kano state.

“We are also reaching out to the huge voting demographic of the youths and they have assured us of their votes and support. It is also important to highlight the fact that over 97 percent of PRP candidates are youths.

“Another thing that is giving me confidence is the level of preparedness by INEC. INEC has demonstrated that they are fully prepared for the 2023 election.

“We are also happy because of the electoral act. I commend President Muhammadu Buhari for signing it into law. Now, it will be difficult to rig elections in Nigeria. I am assuring the people that they will surely get what they vote for. If they vote for me, they will get me as their governor. If they vote for another person, that is surely what they will get.”

He urged citizens of Kano to trust in his capacity, adding that his manifesto is fixed on transforming the state.

Meanwhile, Yakasai, who was also detained in 2021 by the Department of State Services (DSS) after he criticised the APC, said he still considers the governor like a father.

“I respect governor Ganduje. My relationship with him was and is still like that of a father and a son,” he said.

“Now, I am in a different political party, but he is still like a father to me. I will not back-stab governor Ganduje because of politics.”