Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani, has distanced himself from claims of being under the mentorship of his predecessor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, declaring that his political inspiration comes from President Bola Tinubu and the late human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi.
Speaking on TVC’s Politics on Sunday with Femi Akande, the governor said it is unnecessary to react to insinuations about being a mentee of El-Rufai, stressing that his focus is squarely on delivering good governance in Kaduna.
“I don’t think it is necessary to respond to that comment,” he said.
“I can say that there are many people in my life. Even President Bola Tinubu — I met him in 1994 at the house of Beko Ransome-Kuti. Gani is a leader and father to me because I lived and stayed in his house during the struggle. My focus is on Kaduna. I don’t talk about individuals; I don’t get distracted, my eyes are on the ball,” the governor said.
The governor also faulted El-Rufai over his recent comments about the people of southern Kaduna.
He described a recent statement by the former governor on the religious and ethnic composition of the state as unfortunate and unnecessary, stating that his government does not govern based on religion, ethnicity, or party affiliation.
El-Rufai had, in a television interview claimed that certain groups in southern Kaduna acted with a sense of entitlement, which he resisted during his time as governor.
The former governor said his approach to governance was firm and fair, adding that he did not tolerate what he described as “nonsense” from any group.
He claimed that southern Kaduna accounts for less than 25 per cent of Kaduna’s population.
But Sani said: “I was sitting a few days ago, and I had some people in the studio talking about the number of Muslims and Christians in Kaduna. For me, it was unfortunate and unnecessary.
“As a leader, we don’t govern our state based on religion, party affiliation, or ethnic affiliation. When I came as a governor, I said we want to run Kaduna on the basis of fairness, justice, and equity.
“And that’s the reason why we won that election in Chikun because we carried everyone along. And we didn’t care whether you voted for us or not. The most important thing is governance in Kaduna.
“When I came in as a governor, I met a state that was highly divided. But today, we are working as one family. Let me give you an example. Yesterday, we celebrated Eid-ul-Mawlid in Kaduna, but I can tell you that hundreds of Christians came to Murtala Square to celebrate with thousands of Muslims during the celebration yesterday.
“And in December, I went to church during the Christmas Carol, with many Muslims, we went to the church to celebrate with Christians. So today in Kaduna, nobody’s talking about Muslim, Christian, or ethnic politics. It’s about governance.”
On insecurity, Sani defended his administration’s adoption of a combined kinetic and non-kinetic strategy, particularly in areas like Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Kachia, Zangon Kataf, and Kauru, which were once hotbeds of banditry.
He said the community-led initiative has reopened over 160 previously shut schools and restored access to more than 500,000 hectares of farmland.
“The insecurity in the Northwest is largely economic. We engaged community and religious leaders and worked with security agencies to address the drivers of violence. Today, people have gone back to farms, markets that were closed for 10 years have reopened, and schools are functioning again,” he stated.
The governor dismissed allegations that his administration paid ransom to secure peace, insisting that no bandit has been paid “one Naira.”
He, however, credited the success to trust-building with rural communities and traditional leaders.
Addressing recent political tensions in the State following the APC’s victory in the Chikun-Kajuru by-election, Sani denied allegations that the government sponsored thugs to disrupt opposition activities.
He said the matter is under police investigation and urged the public to respect security agencies.
He maintained that his administration’s inclusive governance model, not political intimidation, was responsible for the APC’s improved electoral performance in areas traditionally dominated by the opposition since 1999.