Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has declared his readiness to take a political bullet for President Bola Tinubu as he threw his weight behind the president’s re-election bid in 2027 despite growing public anger over economic hardship.
Sani said he had no regrets supporting Tinubu and was confident that he would eventually be vindicated for standing by the president.
The governor made the declaration during an interview on Trust TV’s Daily Politics programme on Tuesday, where he defended his support for Tinubu and challenged the president’s opponents to present a credible alternative.
Asked if he was prepared to take a political bullet for Tinubu, Sani insisted that he would continue to support the president until the end.
He said his loyalty was based partly on their longstanding relationship, which dates back to 1994, when both men were involved in the struggle to restore democratic rule in Nigeria.
Sani recalled Tinubu’s association with the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and his support for pro-democracy activists during military rule, when some campaigners were forced into exile.
According to him, their shared experience in the fight for democracy and the devolution of power has shaped his assessment of the president.
The governor also defended Tinubu’s administration, listing federal projects and appointments he said had benefited Kaduna State.
Among the projects he cited were 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 a proposal to convert Kaduna Polytechnic into a federal university of technology.
He also listed the reconstruction of the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road and the appointment of Kaduna indigenes to senior federal positions.
Sani insisted that these were benefits to the state rather than personal favours to him, arguing that the president’s actions should be assessed in terms of their impact on Kaduna residents.
With political activities gathering momentum ahead of the 2027 elections, the governor also challenged opposition parties to offer Nigerians a convincing alternative instead of merely asking voters to reject Tinubu.
He argued that any party seeking to unseat the president must demonstrate how it intends to tackle the country’s challenges.
On the worsening poverty in northern Nigeria, Sani said the problem predated Tinubu’s presidency and had persisted because successive leaders failed to address it adequately.
He compared the region’s condition to a dilapidated building that had been neglected for years, making repairs increasingly difficult.
The governor also turned his criticism towards northern leaders, saying they must accept responsibility for their failures and examine their records instead of blaming others for the region’s problems.
He maintained that meaningful progress would require leaders to acknowledge past mistakes and take responsibility for improving the lives of their people.
Sani’s declaration comes amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the Tinubu administration’s economic record, rising living costs and insecurity expected to feature prominently in the campaign.
Meanwhile, the governor acknowledged continuing security concerns in Kaduna State, particularly attacks in Millennium City.
He said he had discussed the situation with military and security officials and that plans were being made to strengthen security operations in the area.
