Ahmed Yerima, former governor of Zamfara, says he introduced
Sharia law in the state in line with the constitution on the freedom of
religion.
Yerima said this on Friday while speaking with journalists
after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Yerima said he had
received go-ahead from Buhari to join the race for the presidential ticket of
the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The former Zamfara governor had, in October 1999, introduced
Sharia law in the state, after which several other states in the north followed
suit.
Speaking on perceptions of him as a religious extremist,
Yerima said he will fight the problem of ignorance and also ensure that
whatever he does is in line with the constitution.
“On the issue of Sharia, I’m a Muslim and I say everywhere I
go, that I am a Muslim and I want to die as a Muslim. Like I said, I’m going to
fight the problem of ignorance and this is one of them,” he said.
“People don’t know; a lot of people don’t know that the
constitution of Nigeria, section 38, has provided for freedom of religion,
including the freedom to change your religion if you want to, to practise
alone, or in community with others, in private or in public.
“So, as governor of the state, I followed the constitutional
provision, prepared a law, sent it to the state assembly and they passed it
into law and I implemented what the constitution of Nigeria has given me the
powers to do, even in Zamfara state.
“I have never, never required or asked or forced any
Christian to follow Islamic faith because I would have done an unconstitutional
act.
“So, if I’m elected, by the grace of God, I’m going to be
elected under the constitution and I’m going to take an oath to protect and
defend the constitution of Nigeria. I will never do anything unconstitutional.”
Yerima also said if he is elected as president, he will
focus on fighting insecurity and poverty.
“I have three points as well — to fight insecurity, fight
poverty and ignorance. Some people think that if you say ignorance, you’re
talking of only western education. No. Illiteracy is different from ignorance.
There are people who are professors, who are well educated in western terms,
but they’re ignorant of their society,” he said.
“That is why you see people talking about rotational
presidency as if it is an allocation of power. The constitution of Nigeria is
very clear — every Nigerian is qualified to contest so long as he reaches the
age prescribed for different offices.
“So, every Nigerian is qualified so long as he follows the
constitutional provisions of this country to contest for any office and aspire
to any office of this country.”
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