By Adeola Ajakaiye
What is considered to be a sincere and urban approach to public governance adopted by the administration of Governor Uba Sani in Kaduna State has continued to earn him and the political party that brought him to power, the All-Progressives Congress (APC), more acceptance, in the recent times.
This strategic approach to public governance is seen by many political observers in the state as a major tool that the governor is deploying to disarm the ongoing campaign deployed against him by the former governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai.
While vocal political outbursts mounted by El-Rufai against Governor Uba has continued, it is interesting to note that Uba’s urban and all-inclusive leadership style has been winning for him, and the ruling party in the state, more public support.
The public support is exemplified by the growing number of bigwig politicians that have openly been identifying with the administration, as well as the big names in politics of the state that joined force with the APC of recent.
His politics, and engineering background
Uba Sani was born on 31 December 1970 in Zaria local government area of Kaduna State. A Mechanical Engineer by training, he also holds a Master of Science degree in Finance from the University of Calabar and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Abuja. Sani protested against military authoritarianism in Nigeria, leaving behind a footprint of bravery and patriotism. He deployed his organisation and networking skills in creating a strategic base for the pro-democracy movement in Northern Nigeria. He also made ample use of his civil society organisation, the Movement for Freedom and Justice to champion the rights of the underprivileged and offered them unfettered access to justice.
He has held successfully the roles of the National Vice Chairman (North) of Campaign for Democracy (CD) and Deputy National Chairman (North) of the Joint Action Committee (JACON) led by the legendary Chief Gani Fawehinmi.
Sani went into politics after the return of Democracy in Nigeria in 1999, and supported the People’s Democratic Party presidential candidate, Olusegun Obasanjo. After winning the presidential election, Sani was appointed special adviser on public affairs to the president, and he also worked at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on some advisory role to the then FCT Minister, Nasir El-Rufai, and the Kaduna State Ministry of Housing and Works.
In 2011, Sani contested in the People’s Democratic Party primaries for the Kaduna Central Senatorial seat but he lost the primaries, and in 2015, he was appointed by the then Kaduna State governor, El-Rufai as the special adviser, political and intergovernmental affairs.
However, in 2019, Sani showed interest and contested the second time for the Kaduna Central senatorial seat under the ruling political party, APC, and was elected senator during the February 2019 general election. In 2022, Uba Sani picked APC nomination forms for 2023 governorship election in Kaduna State.
He emerged the All-Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Kaduna State for 2023 election. He defeated Sani Sha’aban and Bashir Abubakar to emerge winner at the primaries.
Uba`s governance style versus El-Rufai’s
Spotting the difference between governance styles of Governor Uba, and his predecessor, El-Rufai, a Kaduna-based public commentator, Jamil Idris, said that El-Rufai at all times seeks to sow the seed of discord and pitches leaders against the led, adding that “even as an influential Minster of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during the Obasanjo administration, he perpetually pitched that government against the people and brought so much opprobrium to that government in spite of the best efforts of the legendary Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.”
He said that during his eight years as governor of Kaduna State, “El-Rufai unconscionably reaped unmerited political dividends by pitting unsuspecting groups and persons against one another, and left the state soaked in tension, insecurity and huge debt.”
Idris said that on the other hand, “his young successor, Governor Uba Sani, has since assumption of office in May 2023, been busy cleaning up the huge mess El-Rufai left behind, a development that recently cumulated in him being awarded ‘the Nigeria’s Governor of The Year (2024)’ by one of Nigeria`s national newspapers.”
Governor Sani, he said, had been doing an exceedingly great job uniting the people and opening up rural communities across Kaduna State irrespective of the ethnic or religious inclinations of the people residing in the 23 local government areas of the state.
He noted that for the first time in decades, Kaduna has been enjoying relative peace, safety, security and sustainable development.
Big Southern Kaduna politicians aligning with APC, and Governor Sani
In the recent times, Governor Sani has been welcoming new people, and decampees from other parties, particularly, PDP from Southern Kaduna into his party, the APC. Some of the defectors from PDP into the party are Senator Danjuma Laar, Godfrey Ali Gaiya, and Ado Dogo Audu, as well as members of the House of Representatives from the area.
The representatives that recently joined the APC, are Amos Gwamna Magaji, Donatus Mathew, and state legislators, such as Henry Marah Zakariah, Samuel Kambai Koza, and Emmanuel Kantiok.
The defections occurred during the APC’s zonal rally in Kafanchan, Southern Kaduna, where thousands of party supporters gathered to pass a vote of confidence in Governor Sani’s administration.
Also, of recent, notable politicians, such as former senator Shehu Sani, former governor of Kaduna State, Muktar Ramalan Yero, and, former senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, who were forced to move away from the APC because of El-Rufai, returned to the party.
Governor Sani attributed the APC’s growing popularity in Southern Kaduna and the entire state to his administration’s commitment to justice and fairness.
“APC is now taking over Southern Kaduna because my administration is anchored on justice. I am abiding by the oath of my office by being just to every segment of Kaduna State, irrespective of party affiliation or ethno-religious background.
“Someone who joins APC today and the one who has been a foundation member 10 years ago, they are of the same status. They will enjoy the same rights and privileges,” he said.
He urged the new members to notify their supporters of the readiness of APC to accept them into the party, as their doors are still open to accept more defectors.
According to Governor Sani, the popularity and acceptability of APC is due to its just leadership at both the state and federal levels.
“In 2027 election, the electorate will vote for APC in all the elections, from top to bottom. At the top, our leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be reelected. At the state level, the party will be voted for at the gubernatorial, National and State Assembly elections, by the grace of God.
“Politics is different from governance. We will be fair to all, whether or not they voted for us, because that is the oath of office that we swore to uphold as leaders,” Governor Sani said.
The governor also reminded the people that leaders would be held accountable in the hereafter regarding how they led the people whom God had entrusted to their care.
Result of the last general election in Kaduna State at a glance
in the 2023 presidential election, the People’s Democratic Party triumphed when the party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar polled 445,671 votes representing 40% to defeat APC candidate, Bola Tinubu with 321,691 votes representing 29.16% in the entire state.
However, in the governorship elections in the state, APC’s Uba Sani scored 730,002 votes to defeat Ashiru Isah Kudan of the PDP with 719,196 while maintaining its stronghold of Southern Kaduna. Since 1999, the main opposition party had yet to lose election in the Southern part of the state.
While the PDP won in all the local government areas of Southern Kaduna as well as parts of the north including, Chikun, Kachia, Kajuru, Soba, Jaba, Jema’a, Kagarko, Zango-Kataf, Sanga, Kaura, Lere and Kudan, Makarfi, the APC cleared the LGAs in the northern part of the state – Kubau, Zaria, Sabon Gari, Igabi, Giwa, Birnin-Gwari, Ikara, Kaduna South, Kaduna North, Kauru.
With the re-engineering work of Governor Sani, it is expected that victory would be total for the APC in the next round of election.