A former lawmaker and civil rights activist, Senator Shehu Sani, has said his main political interest in 2027 is to see Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna re-elected for a second term.
Sani, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to his former party, the All Progressives Congress, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.
“By virtue of the political equation in Kaduna State, if I happen to secure a ticket to return to the Senate in 2027, I will be glad. But if I do not, I will still be at peace knowing that we have ensured Uba’s re-election as governor.
“I am very pleased that Kaduna State has rid itself of the tormentor that plagued it politically. That was the reason many of us who left the APC for the PDP had to return en masse to the APC recently,” he said.
Sani, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the Eighth Senate, described power as “ephemeral,” advising those in authority to always treat people well.
“If God has blessed you with power, use it to positively impact the masses. But if you become intoxicated with power—abusing it, arresting people, and unleashing terror — a day will come when you will be out of power,” he said.
The former senator stated that Kaduna had never been so poorly governed as it was between 2015 and 2023, arguing that many things went wrong in the state.
He said, “There was a sharp division between the Muslim North and the Southern Christian population, which fuelled insecurity, terrorism, and other challenges that hindered development.
“In Birnin Gwari, farmers have started returning to their farms, where they once had to pay millions of naira in fines to terrorists before working on their land.
“Though the state has not achieved all its objectives, it has made significant progress from where it was.
“Since Uba Sani took over as governor, things have improved significantly. We rarely hear of mass abductions in Kaduna anymore.
“People now travel freely between Kaduna and Abuja, and we are grateful to Nuhu Ribadu as the National Security Adviser and President Bola Tinubu for their efforts.”
Assessing the security situation in the country, particularly in the North, Sani said it has improved compared to the era of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He added, “I must say that Tinubu’s security measures are 1,000 times better than those of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The North’s main issue is that our own (Buhari) was in power for eight years and failed to accomplish key projects.
“The Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, the dredging of the River Niger, the Baro River Port, and resolving insecurity in Northern Nigeria were left undone.
“Yet, Buhari appointed northerners to head all the security agencies in the country, and still, the slaughtering and killings of our people continued unabated.
“There are four major roads linking northern states to Abuja — Lokoja-Abuja, Kaduna-Kano-Abuja, Keffi-Abuja, and Minna-Suleja-Abuja. None of these roads were completed in Buhari’s eight-year tenure.”
Sani questioned why some northerners are now criticising Tinubu while remaining silent during Buhari’s administration.
“Many of the country’s current challenges could have been avoided if the right actions had been taken by the last administration,” he said.
The activist-turned-politician, however, urged the president to ensure his administration’s reforms are considerate of the people’s struggles.
“Nigerians are suffering; they are facing extreme hardship. There should be relief measures to ease their burdens.
“People are struggling to pay school fees, and landlords have increased rents. There should be government intervention in education and housing.
“A public transportation system should be provided, and our teaching hospitals must be equipped and funded so that citizens do not rely on poorly equipped health facilities,” he said.
Nevertheless, Sani stated that anything that could elevate Nigeria’s status should be pursued for the country’s future and national interest.
“This is the first time we have a president openly declaring that he is not controlled by any cabal. We should appreciate that and work with Tinubu,” he said.
NAN
