Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has declared his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, saying he is willing to “take a bullet” for the president because of the benefits his administration has brought to the state.
Gatekeepers News reports that Sani made the remarks during an interview with Trust TV’s Daily Politics, where he highlighted federal government interventions in education, road infrastructure and public transportation as reasons for his support.
According to the governor, Tinubu facilitated the establishment of four federal universities in Kaduna, secured key federal appointments for the state’s indigenes and approved funding for major road projects and a proposed light rail system.
He also said the president provided funding for additional compressed natural gas (CNG) buses to improve public transportation in the state.
Asked whether he could take a bullet for Tinubu in appreciation of the benefits, Sani responded affirmatively.
“I can take it,” he said.
“The favour he has done is not to me, it’s to the state, so for me, my interest is the interest of the state.”
The governor also cited the appointment of Kaduna indigenes to key federal positions, including Minister of Defence Christopher Musa and Minister of Environment Balarabe Abbas Lawal.
He further mentioned Shehu Dikko, chairman of the National Sports Commission, as another Kaduna indigene holding a prominent federal position.
“The minister of defence is from Kaduna, Christopher Musa, and I was instrumental in getting him the portfolio. The minister of environment, Balarabe Abbas, is from Kaduna, and recently, when the ministry of sports was collapsed into the national sports commission… Shehu Dikko is from Kaduna, so he’s more like a minister of sports in Nigeria today.
“Now we have three ministers, and I was instrumental in talking to Mr president. What do I need more than this?” Sani said.
Four federal universities for Kaduna
Sani disclosed that he had initially approached Tinubu seeking the establishment of two additional universities in Kaduna, but the president approved four institutions or university-related changes.
They include the Federal University of Applied Science in Kachia, the Federal University of Education in Zaria, the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University of Petroleum Resources in Rigachikun and the conversion of Kaduna Polytechnic, his alma mater, into a federal university of technology.
The governor also highlighted federal funding for road construction and rehabilitation, particularly the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari Road, which he said had been neglected for 45 years.
According to Sani, Tinubu promised during his 2022 campaign visit to Kaduna to reconstruct the 123-kilometre road.
He said he reminded the president of the pledge two years ago by showing him a video clip of Tinubu making the promise to the Emir of Birnin Gwari.
Sani claimed that N178 billion had since been released for the project, with construction ongoing.
He added that the president had also approved funding for the reconstruction of the road linking Jama’a, Kwoi and Jere, which he said had remained in poor condition for almost four decades.
Tinubu approves Kaduna light rail project
The governor further disclosed that Tinubu approved funding for a proposed light rail project in Kaduna after he requested federal support for a system similar to the one in Lagos.
Sani said the president immediately contacted the then Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, to discuss the proposal.
“There and then, he called the minister of transport. Alkali is alive, so if Alkali was a minister of transport, he would tell you this. He’ll agree with me,” he said.
“The president told him to go and include Kaduna, and as we speak, they have agreed to include Kaduna, Kano and Lagos.”
Sani said funding for the Kaduna project had been released, putting the amount at $865 million, which he estimated at more than N1.2 trillion.
He said the proposed 50-kilometre corridor would run from Rigachikun to Sabon Tasha.
CNG buses save residents N5bn, says governor
Sani also said Tinubu supported the state’s public transportation programme by providing funding for an additional 50 CNG buses after he informed the president that Kaduna could afford only 50.
According to the governor, the state subsequently acquired 100 buses and recorded 5.2 million passenger trips over the preceding 18 months.
He said the transport initiative had helped ease the financial burden on workers, low-income residents, market women and artisans.
“It saves our workers, downtrodden, market women, artisans about N5 billion that they are supposed to pay. This is Asiwaju’s effort,” Sani said.
The governor maintained that his backing for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid was based on what he described as the benefits of the federal government’s interventions for Kaduna State, rather than personal favours.
