EXCLUSIVE: Why I was Attacking Buhari while Working for Ganduje – Yakasai
The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in Kano state, Mallam Salihu Tanko Yakasai, has explained the reason behind his constant attack on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government, especially during the heat of the 2020 #EndSARS protest, while still serving as a media aide to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
Yakasai, made the revelation during an exclusive interview with Politics Digest, at his Yankaba home in Kano.
According to Yakasai, popularly called ‘Danwisu’ by his admirers, he was irked by the federal government’s indifference to stemming the tide of the EndSARS demonstrations, even when it was obvious that the protesters were not ready to sheath their swords.
He wondered why the federal government then folded its arms during the first two days of the protest, allowing it degenerate into a pogrom across the nation.
He said: “There was the need for Mr. President to have stepped in and quell the mass tension then among the youths and protesters, during its embryonic stages”.
“Before that EndSARS protest, there were earlier protests. But not up to the magnitude of that of EndSARS. So you could see that the situation was already volatile.
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“Hence, I was taken aback to see that the federal government just folded its arms and allow things to deteriorate, then,” he said.
Yakasai revealed that as an active participant in the Fuel Subsidy removal protest of 2012, during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, he had consider it hypocritical to keep quiet during the EndSARS just because a Northerner from his party (APC) is at the helms of affair as Mr. President.
He said: “The issue of insecurity, with particular reference to the kidnapping of about 300 school girls in Tegina, Niger State, also contributed to why he then voiced out his frustration against the federal government”.
When asked if he had anticipated a punishment for scathingly criticizing the Buhari government often, while serving under an APC government in the State, Yakasai swiftly replied that he was not concerned about whose ox would be gored at that time, since his conscience was clear.
He said at a time (while still serving as Ganduje’s media aide) he was even accused of working for the opposition, which culminated to his invitation by the Department of State Services, DSS.
He however maintained that he still have a cordial relationship with his former principal, thanking Ganduje for giving him the opportunity to serve under his government.
On his gubernatorial ambition, Yakasai noted that it’s high time the old order gives room to the new generation with innovation and solution to Kano’s 21st century challenges.
