A founding member of Arewa Consultative Forum, Alhaji Tanko Yakasi has asked the Federal Government not to allow Amotekun, a security outfit recently established by South-west governors. 

Yakasai while speaking at Sheraton Hotel in Lagos on Saturday, January 25, 2020, said allowing Amotekun to operate in the south-west could make other regions to create armed security outfits.

He said, “If Amotekun is allowed, soon it may spill over to other regions and may become out of control when other regions come up with armed security outfits that may lead to uncontrollable situation in the country.

“Every Nigerian is interested in Nigerian project. Every Nigerian is benefiting from Nigeria as a nation.”

On Igbo presidency, the elder statesman urged the South-east to convince other parts of the country to support and accept their candidate.

He said, “There is no reason to deny the South-East the opportunity to produce the presidential slot in 2023. The North, West have had it. It will not make sense to deny the South-East. But then, the Igbo have to work hard for power and convince people because it is a matter of numbers.

“They have to convince the rest of the country to accept whoever they put forward to be accepted.”

Yakasai also said that Nigeria needed a mass-based political parties that would be controlled by the masses.

“In our days, nobody ever claimed to be the owner of NPN, NCNC, NPP among others. The people must make sure they take ownership of the party,” he said.

“I hope the people will try to turn the parties to the masses. The mistake former President Olusegun Obasanjo made to say he was the national leader of a party killed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”