By- Abba Hamisu Sani
Africa-Press – Nigeria. Yahaya Ibrahim Al- Yakub is the Presidential aspirant under the Action Alliance during the 2023 election.
He is a development expert who works with different non governmental organizations in different parts of Nigeria.
Al-Yakub spoke about the recent Presidential election in Senegal that produced 44-year-old Bassirou Faye as the new President of Senegal and different issues related to Nigerian politics and the present economic hardship faced by Nigerians under President Ahmed Bola Tinubu
Africa Press – What is your take on the recent election in Senegal which produced a 44-year-old Faye as the President of the West African nation which is an indication that African youths have begun to push towards taking over the leadership of the sub-continent democratically?
Yahaya Al-Yakub – Thank you very much for this very good and important question Senegal and Nigeria are incomparable, Senegal might be a mono state with few ethnic groups and its population is not more than that of a few states in Nigeria it could be very easy to control but by ascension, as having young people taking over the country at this moment, this shows that their youth are focused by taking the affairs of the country and their destiny to the promised land, but let me take you back to memory Len when those leaders in the previous Nigeria take over the country and make the country the way it is, were not up to forty years, none of them is 30 years old, when you check all of them. I think only one person is 32 years old if I might be right historically and because of their determination and commitment at that time Nigeria grew to where it is,but unfortunately, this time around our Youth doesn’t have a forecast, they only think of how to make easy money and that is why we are in this big mess, I think not having the country at heart and not thinking about its future is the main problem of the Nigerian youth at the moment.
“If we will take the country in our hearts and see to its future, I think we can make a good stride or we can make something very important for the country to advance, I think that is why during that time we came out and contest and then draw a large number of young persons or youth as you mentioned into politics because we realized those who are much elderly don’t have the energy to make sure that whatever is put in place is fully supervised and done in the right way, the only thing the leaders do is paper work in the office and send it out to those who are not patriotic and do whatever they want, they send them a lot of wrong reports and they think things are moving on fine. But you can not put delegations and you don’t supervise them and you think you have the right thing as an outcome, ” Al-Yakub said.
Africa Press – You are one of the Presidential aspirants during the 2023 election under A A political party, what was your experience as a youth during that contest, do you think is possible for youth to take over Nigeria in the next election as youth did it in Senegal.?
Al-Yakub – So I think Senegal has made it, the only thing is that let us wait and see what the young man will do, but to me is still an elder person because he passed his forty years, we want to see young people in Nigeria from 30,35 to 40 taking over and there are some states in Nigeria where they are moving towards that, you could see some of the commissioners they put in their states are very young persons and they can only change the narrative when they do the right things and we hope just like I use to say in every forum I find myself that Nigeria will be great again.
Africa Press -We have seen how youth pushed in Senegal despite all odds and challenges from France, Senegal’s new President was not the choice of France which is the former colonial master of Senegal and its economic and political policies dominated all the affairs of Senegal, So do you think Nigerian youth have all it takes to do what Senegal youths did during the recent election?
Yahaya Al-Yakub -I just made a little highlight, we want into politics to be able to showcase or tell young minds that, they can also be leaders and we can change the narratives in our country but unfortunately I had a very bad experience I have said it in some of my interviews that the way they (Political Parties) sell the nomination forms, the amount put on it is humongous, that means if you don’t have money don’t even approach politics that is where we got it wrong at the first instance, forms should be given out for free because we are all citizens of the country or something someone can afford so that everyone could go.” He stated.
“The only way to screen people is that, who are you, what you are, what have you brought forth, that should be the yardstick or where you could measure, someone who could contest. There are so many ways that we could do to fight what is happening now based on the wrong things that are happening and when we don’t do it the right way we could never get it right.” He mentioned.
“So I could tell you that when we were campaigning at that time after all talks may be, for one hour ,when you want to go they said ok, where is their cake, people are asking for money, any time they see you as a politician, they will start clapping yes, money has come, so we have a lot of education that we need to do to enlighten our people on the right thing to do. The most pathetic thing is that someone will give you spaghetti, Macaroni, or just a few cups of rice and some token money not just more than five thousand naira and you go and stay in the sun elect that person and you come and suffer for eight years, so to me, I see the Nigerian masses as the ones who are buying whatever is happening because they don’t elect the right people who will man the country and take us to the promised land. Corruption has eaten deep into us and when we don’t fight it headlong or head to head I think we will never get it right.” He stated.
“The earlier we get this, the better for us. We hope young minds that have the country at heart should start changing the narratives of what is happening, so we had a very bad experience when we aspired as Candidates at that time, and at a point we had to step aside, having got the experience, having put a lot of time trying to explain to people to understand what we came for, people should begin to think the hard way and the only way what I meant here is that to elect reputable leaders who you think they can deliver so that people can be able to question them when they did not do the right thing, but if I come and buy you with the money I don’t think they have the impetus or the right to even ask me what am I doing,because if I use the money on you and buy you you have no right to ask me what am I doing or why am I not doing the right thing,so I think that is the issue “The Presidential aspirant added.
Africa Press – What is your view about how President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is handling Nigerian affairs, particularly at this hard economic and political time? So look at the economic and political issues and policies put on the ground by Bola Tinubu and analyse them.Do you think if he continues like this will Nigeria be a better country?
El-Yakub – I think President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is taking the hard way to mend the country. Nigerian people put him there based on trust and he should not hit Nigerians.
“What I mean by that is when you want to mend something, the person you are trying to mend before you go to the end, the person is dying because of waiting or hunger or any other thing, so what is the point of mending the country when your citizens are dying. I think there should be something out in place first to cushion the effect of the hardship before you start mending things. Everybody knows the Nigerian system is dancing to the tune of the foreign financial institutions and it is not good for the citizenry, why,? is because most African leaders don’t take their people very important. First, take cognizance of the United States of America because one American can go to war, so because of one Nigerian, I think a President, when he allows things to go wrong, should resign, because there is no reason why one Nigerian should die of hunger. After all, if you want to mend the country, I think it is very important, they should all know this.” He stated.
” If you want to mend the country first consider your citizenry, whoever is telling you these are the economic policies to do then people are dying and come on publicly and say yes you know what is happening and you are making it for them while you know there are other ways to do the right things.” Yahaya Al-Yakub said.
“The Development expert turned politician added that in governance things shouldn’t go this way. The amendments they are doing are for the citizens of the country and the country can not stand as a country without the citizens there and there is no need for the government to make it difficult for the people, people should come first.” He added.
Africa Press – What is your present Political party are you still in AA or you have switched to another party and what is your view about youth participation in general politics from Federal states and Local government levels?
The Presidential Aspirant- I am still in Action Alliance, there is no place where I have declared that I am out of the party.
” I am still there and I hope that anybody who comes in will share the same Idea and then progress. For the youth participation in politics, I think I have said enough in some of my statements earlier.” he said.
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