ACF chieftain Yakassai warns Tinubu against unity govt

Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, a founding member of the Arewa Consultative Forum, has cautioned President-elect Bola Tinubu against succumbing to pressure to form a government of national unity. Such a government typically consists of a broad coalition of all parties or major parties, often established during times of war or national emergency. Yakassai expressed his concerns during an interview at his residence in Abuja on Wednesday.

In the recent presidential election, Tinubu secured 8,794,726 votes, defeating his closest rivals, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, who garnered 6,984,520 votes, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, who received 6,101,533 votes. Following Tinubu’s victory announcement, political analysts suggested that he consider forming a unity government to alleviate post-election tensions and soothe frayed nerves. Dr. Kayode Fayemi, a former Governor of Ekiti State and the immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, also voiced support for this approach on Wednesday.

However, Yakassai opposed this recommendation, arguing that it would hinder the development of democracy. He likened governance to the construction of a house, emphasizing that overloading an incoming administration with unrealistic proposals is detrimental. “No, I won’t advise Tinubu to run any government of national unity,” he stated. “I want democracy to develop. Democracy is a business of competition. Remove competition from democracy, and you have killed democracy. Let everybody come with their own program.”

Yakassai further asserted that the electorate voted for Tinubu, and he should implement his agenda. He suggested that once Tinubu completes his term, the next leader can build upon the previous administration’s achievements. “This is how you develop a country,” he explained. “The process of building a house involves laying the foundation, constructing the structure, and then finishing with painting and other details. This is how democracy should be practiced and how nation-building should occur. It is what people around the world are doing, and it is what we should be doing.”