A former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District of Kaduna State, Shehu Sani, has blamed failed leadership by past northern leaders for the poverty, insecurity, and decaying infrastructure in the North.
Receiving members of the Tijjaniyya Grassroots Mobilisation and Empowerment Initiative of Nigeria at his Kaduna residence on Tuesday, Sani accused past leaders from the region of squandering opportunities and looting resources while neglecting the people who trusted them with power.
“We had Buhari in power for eight years, yet the North remained impoverished.
“Industries like KTL, UNTL, Nortex, Arewa Textiles, and others were abandoned. Our leaders chased personal gains, not the people’s progress,” he said.
Sani described it as “deceptive and unjust” to pin the region’s problems on President Bola Tinubu, who he said had been in office for just two years, when decades of mismanagement predated his presidency.
“The North’s problems didn’t begin two years ago. Former leaders had the chance to fix education, healthcare, and security, but they failed.
“Today, they want to deceive you into believing that Tinubu is your problem. Ask yourself, did bad hospitals, failed roads, and insecurity start in the last 24 months?” he said.
The ex-lawmaker also listed abandoned projects like the Kaduna-Abuja road, Minna-Abuja road, Lokoja-Abuja expressway, Ajaokuta Steel Company, and the Mambilla Power Project as proof of a leadership that betrayed the North.
Warning against the return of such leaders, Sani said: “No matter how bad things may seem now, know this: your brothers from the North failed you. If they return to power, nothing will change.”
He praised TIGMEIN’s grassroots empowerment efforts, especially its focus on equipping women and youths with skills for self-reliance, describing it as a meaningful approach to tackling poverty and fostering peace.
The Punch
