Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has declared his readiness to defend President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, saying he has no regrets supporting the president despite widespread concerns over economic hardship.
Sani made the declaration during an interview on Trust TV’s Daily Politics programme on Tuesday, insisting that his backing for Tinubu was based on conviction and their longstanding relationship.
“I have no apology supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and I will continue to support him till the last minute,” he said.
Asked whether he was prepared to take a political bullet for the president, the governor expressed confidence that time would vindicate his position.
“I can tell you today, tomorrow, and next tomorrow, that I will be vindicated,” he said.
Sani traced his relationship with Tinubu to 1994, when both were involved in the struggle for the restoration of democratic rule.
He recalled Tinubu’s association with the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and support for pro-democracy activists during the military era, when some campaigners were forced into exile.
The governor said their shared commitment to democracy and the devolution of power had influenced his assessment of Tinubu.
He also pointed to federal projects and appointments he said had benefited Kaduna State under the president, including four university initiatives and the reconstruction of the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road.
The university projects he listed include the Federal University of Applied Sciences in Southern Kaduna, the Federal University of Education in Zaria, the Federal University of Petroleum Resources in Rigachikun and the proposed conversion of Kaduna Polytechnic into a federal university of technology.
Sani insisted that the projects were benefits to the state rather than personal favours to him.
“The favour he has done is not to me, because he has not given me. It’s to the state,” he said.
He also cited the appointment of Kaduna indigenes to senior federal positions as evidence of the state’s representation in Tinubu’s administration.
On the prospect of northern voters supporting Tinubu for a second term despite economic hardship, Sani challenged opposition parties to present a credible alternative rather than simply campaigning against the president.
“When you say don’t vote for Asiwaju, you must bring an alternative,” he said.
The governor acknowledged the worsening poverty in northern Nigeria but argued that the region’s challenges predated Tinubu’s administration.
He likened the situation to a dilapidated building neglected for years until it became difficult to repair.
“If we had addressed this problem even before Asiwaju ever thought of becoming president, we wouldn’t be where we are,” he said.
Sani also criticised northern leaders for failing to adequately address the region’s problems, saying they needed to take responsibility for their record.
“The northerners are their own problem. We shouldn’t run away. The only way to help, I think, is for us to sit down and look at ourselves in the mirror, and accept that we are the problem,” he said.
On insecurity in Kaduna State, the governor acknowledged persistent concerns, particularly attacks in Millennium City.
He said he had discussed the situation with military and security officials, adding that plans were being made to strengthen security in the area.
Sani’s remarks come as political actors intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, with economic hardship, insecurity and the performance of the Tinubu administration expected to feature prominently in the campaign.
