Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has raised concerns about politicians who he says are bent on undermining democracy if government decisions and policies do not align with their interests. The Governor spoke on Thursday while breaking the Ramadan fast with journalists at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House.
He referred to these politicians as “latter day activists” and cautioned that they pose a threat to Nigeria’s democratic gains. Governor Sani praised journalists for their historic role in the struggle for democracy, noting that many sacrificed their freedoms and in some cases their lives. “When we were in the struggle we the Civil Rights activists relied mostly on journalists. Most of them lost their freedoms. Some of them lost their lives when we were fighting for democracy,” he said.
Governor Sani warned that these so-called activists focus on ethnicity and religion rather than development issues such as healthcare, education, human capital, infrastructure, unemployment, and poverty. “When campaigns begin, they will focus on these issues instead of focusing on matters that affect all Nigerians irrespective of ethno-religious affiliations,” he said.
He further criticized these politicians for their past associations with military regimes and questioned their understanding of fundamental rights, freedom, rule of law, equality, and justice. He urged journalists to hold them accountable for their past actions.
The Governor also highlighted his administration’s achievements in Kaduna State over the last two and a half years. He revealed that prior to his government, 12 local governments had no roads for 10 years, and only five of the 32 secondary hospitals were functional. Today, 15 hospitals are being renovated and equipped.
On education, Governor Sani disclosed that out-of-school children in Kaduna State have been reduced from 580,000 to 182,000, with plans to build an additional 102 schools with support from the Kuwait Development Fund, Islamic Development Bank, UNICEF, and other partners. The state has received $62.8 million to address education gaps, making it the only subnational government to benefit from this funding. “Our focus is to leave no child outside the classroom in Kaduna State because we believe that education is the greatest leveller,” he added.
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