By Sabiu Abdullahi
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has honoured his commitments to Kaduna State and the wider northern region.
The governor spoke on Thursday when he received a presidential delegation touring the North-West. He credited the administration with improving security and boosting infrastructure across the state.
Sani said these efforts have strengthened public support for the president. He expressed confidence that such support would translate into votes in the 2027 general elections.
He also claimed that the impact of the projects has weakened opposition parties in Kaduna, which he described as existing only in name.
“He has done a lot for us and I could remember when he visited Birnin Gwari, on the 12th of December, 2022, we went there with some of our friends here. It was a journey of about less than two hours. But it took us five hours.
“So there were two major problems we faced. Number one problem is security, because at that time, in 2022, you could travel from Kaduna to Birnin Gwari without military escort. But today, you can go there without police escort.
“Also, look at infrastructure. Today, he has fulfilled his promises. That is the reason why the good people of Kaduna will forever be grateful to President Tinubu.
“When you go to Birnin Gwari, you will see hundreds of vehicles passing to Lagos. It has improved the economic prosperity of our people who are farmers. It has improved the business of our people who are small business owners particularly those that are into farming, trading.
“All of them are making a lot of money because of what the president has done for us. Again, we are talking about the north.
“So for me, no president has supported northern Nigeria as much as President Tinubu would have done in less than three years now. And that is also why I cannot see any zone, not even the southwest, coming down to vote for him.”
The governor dismissed suggestions that Tinubu could lose the 2027 election. He said such opinions are largely driven by social media narratives.
Sani further argued that the president played an active role during Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle, at a time he said some critics remained silent.
“Some of us were approached by then Head of State, Abdulsalam Abubakar, for a meeting, and he made it clear to all of us there will be only three recognised parties.
“But we didn’t threaten to burn down the country like the current opposition are doing. We went to the street; through the court that decision was rescinded.”
However, some northern leaders have disagreed with the governor’s position. They argue that the region has not received fair treatment under the current administration. They pointed to what they described as an imbalance in the distribution of projects between the North and the South.
At a citizens’ engagement forum organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna in June 2025, Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum Board of Trustees, Alhaji Bashir M. Dalhatu, criticised the administration’s approach to governance.
Dalhatu said, “Two years into President Tinubu’s four-year tenure, the feeling among the people of the North is, to put it mildly, completely mixed.
“To our surprise, those who did not support him, did not vote for him, and hardly wished him well have emerged from nowhere and are now attempting to drive a wedge between him and the North.”
The Northern Elders Forum also expressed dissatisfaction with the region’s earlier support for Tinubu. In an interview published by The Guardian in April 2025, the forum’s spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said the North would take a different approach ahead of future elections.
Suleiman said, “The North made a mistake in voting Bola Tinubu to the presidency in 2023, and it is unlikely that they will repeat the same error in the future.”
“They have learned from their past misstep and will strive to select a candidate who can unite the country and govern in the best interests of all Nigerians.
“Moving forward, the North will be more cautious in selecting a candidate for the presidency. They will prioritize someone who is seen as more inclusive, less controversial, and more aligned with the interests of all regions of the country.
“The mistake of supporting Tinubu in 2023 has taught them the importance of unity and consensus in selecting a candidate for the highest office in the land.” he added.
