Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has declared his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, saying the benefits delivered to the state justify his backing.
Sani said he was prepared to put his life on the line for Tinubu because the president’s interventions had benefited Kaduna State rather than him personally.
The governor made the remarks during an interview with Trust TV’s Daily Politics, where he highlighted federal appointments, new universities, road projects, a proposed light rail system and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses as key achievements.
Asked whether he could take a bullet for Tinubu because of the benefits Kaduna had received, Sani replied: “I can take it.”
“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 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?”
Four federal universities for Kaduna
Sani said he initially approached Tinubu to request two additional universities for Kaduna State, but the president approved four institutions or university-related projects.
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 said the approvals demonstrated the federal government’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities in the state.
Tinubu releases N178bn for Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road
Sani also credited Tinubu with advancing road projects that had remained neglected for decades.
He said the president promised during his 2022 campaign visit to Kaduna to reconstruct the 123-kilometre Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road, which the governor described as having been abandoned for 45 years.
According to Sani, he reminded Tinubu of the pledge two years ago by showing him a video clip of the president making the promise to the Emir of Birnin Gwari.
The governor said N178 billion had since been released for the project, with construction ongoing.
He added that Tinubu had also approved funding to reconstruct the road linking Jama’a, Kwoi and Jere, which he said had been in poor condition for almost 40 years.
Kaduna light rail project gets $865m funding
The governor said he also approached Tinubu for federal support to develop a light rail system in Kaduna, modelled on the rail transport system in Lagos.
According to Sani, the president directed the then Minister of Transportation, Alkali, to include Kaduna in the project.
“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. Today, as we speak, money for Kaduna has already been released: $865 million, over N1.2 trillion. It’s a 50-kilometre corridor from Rigachikun to Sabon Tasha.”
Sani said the proposed corridor would run for 50 kilometres, linking Rigachikun and Sabon Tasha.
Kaduna gets 100 CNG buses
Sani further said Tinubu approved funding for an additional 50 CNG buses after he informed the president that Kaduna could afford only 50.
The governor said the state subsequently purchased 100 buses, which he claimed had recorded 5.2 million passenger trips over the preceding 18 months.
He said the transport initiative had helped reduce 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,” he added.
Sani maintained that his support for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid was driven by the benefits he said the president had delivered to Kaduna State, rather than personal favours.
