The Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, on Tuesday, took a swipe at prominent northern political leaders, accusing them of shifting blame to President Bola Tinubu for challenges that have long been festering under their watch.
He said the problems bedevilling the region — insecurity, poverty, and educational backwardness — were not created by the Tinubu administration but worsened by the negligence, silence, and inaction of northern elites over the last two decades.
Speaking at a two-day citizen engagement session convened by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna, Governor Sani warned that the era of “blame games” must end, urging northern leaders to take ownership of the region’s crisis and work collaboratively with the Tinubu government for solutions.
“This engagement must go beyond ceremonial speeches. It is a moment for deep reflection,” Sani declared at the event, attended by ministers, federal officials, traditional rulers and members of civil society.
According to him, the gathering was not a political jamboree but a chance to assess promises made by President Tinubu — and more importantly, evaluate the contributions or failings of northern stakeholders themselves.
“Yes, President Tinubu made promises. But let us be honest with ourselves: he has kept faith with the North in many critical areas — security, agriculture, education, economic inclusion. The real question is, have we kept faith with our people as northern leaders?” He asked.
Sani, who governed Kaduna for just over a year after serving in the Senate, said the North must look inwards instead of externalising blame for long-standing regional decay.
He criticised the selective memory of some northern politicians who, according to him, kept mute while the region’s socio-economic indicators plummeted — only to turn around and hold Tinubu responsible after just two years in office.
“For over 20 years, insecurity grew, education declined, and poverty deepened. Where were the loud voices now blaming Tinubu when these things took root? It is hypocrisy to now shift responsibility to a government that inherited decades of rot,” the governor said.
Sani noted that no president, no matter how visionary, could solve the North’s problems without active collaboration from state governments, traditional leaders and communities.
“We must stop waiting for Abuja to solve every problem. The North must rise and take charge of its own destiny,” he said.
Recalling the dire security situation in Kaduna before he took office in 2023, Sani said the state had been “almost overrun” by bandits and terrorists, with the Abuja-Kaduna expressway becoming a national symbol of insecurity.
He noted that his administration introduced the “Kaduna Peace Model” — a hybrid security and governance framework combining military operations, local vigilantes, community dialogue and institutional reforms — which, he said, had begun to yield results.
“If we had organised this same event last year, this hall would have been empty. People would have stayed away in fear.
“Today, our rural areas are returning to life. Communities that were displaced are slowly returning. Federal support and local innovation made this possible,” he stated.
The governor also addressed the issue of financial exclusion, describing it as a quiet crisis holding millions of Northerners back from full participation in economic life.
He revealed that upon assuming office, over 65 percent of people in the Northwest were locked out of formal financial systems.
“We signed an executive order that targets 2.5 million vulnerable residents for inclusion into financial services. This is being done through partnerships with banks, fintechs and civil society,” he said.
He emphasized that access to finance was not just about money, but “a tool of dignity, empowerment and national integration.”
Governor Sani gave President Tinubu credit for rolling out programmes that were already benefiting Northern Nigeria, particularly in the education and agriculture sectors.
He praised the student loan scheme and vocational education drive, which he said had begun equipping Northern youth with employable skills.
“These are not just federal policies. They are lifelines to millions of young people in the North,” he noted.
On agriculture, he lauded Tinubu’s intervention in farming inputs, irrigation schemes and market access, saying northern farmers had never had it better.
“No president in Nigeria’s history has supported subnational governments in agricultural transformation like Tinubu is doing right now,” he said.
Sani pointed out that for the first time in recent history, top-ranking federal officials — including ministers, security chiefs and agency heads — were physically present at a regional policy dialogue, signalling genuine interest in Northern development.
“This is unprecedented. When last did we see such coordinated presence of federal actors in one hall to discuss the future of the North? This is a positive sign. Let us not squander it,” he said.
He urged his fellow governors and northern elites to drop political posturing and focus on developmental cooperation.
“We have no reason to complain. We have every reason to unite. Let us get to work,” he said.
The governor wrapped up his remarks with a call to action rooted in the legacy of the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello.
“Let us not merely recall his legacy at conferences. Let us renew it, elevate it, and embody it — in how we govern, how we speak, and how we serve our people,” Sani said.
The Punch
