Tanko Yakasai, an elder statesman, has accused Southerners of being behind certain Northern leaders’ desire to postpone the 2022 Population Census.
Yakasai alleged that the southerners have bought certain northern leaders and are concerned that the census would give the north a numerical advantage in the general elections in 2023.
When a delegation from the National Population Commission (NPC) paid a visit to his home in Kano State on Thursday, he made the claim.
Yakasai claimed that the census should have no bearing on the 2023 elections, and that there is a reason for the need to postpone the census, which is planned to take place in April and May.
Remember that a group of northern leaders petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari to postpone the census because of the vast number of displaced people and the closeness of the process to the 2023 elections.
Yakasai responded to the appeal by saying that the leaders under the auspices of Northern Leaders of Thought do not want the North or the country to progress, and he asked the President to disregard the call for a postponement.
He stated that because Nigeria is already several years behind schedule for the census, it would be unwise to postpone the exercise further, as the resources already invested would be wasted.
He said: “Secondly, I am suspecting some people to be behind that gathering.
“I am afraid it might be some individuals from the South that came to buy some of our northern people.
“We are several years late already (for the census), and we should be late again? This is not something our leaders – politicians and other influential people should allow. They should stand firm and encourage this census. They should not allow the postponement even for a minute talk less of a day.
“The day they fixed, it should take place. It’s a one-day exercise. All the days before are for the training of personnel and other things. It is not right. Whoever said they should not do it, it’s either he does not know what he is doing or he is in alliance with our enemies.”
