Gov Sani: North’s Challenges Predate Tinubu, Unfair to Blame President for Self-Inflicted Woes

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has vehemently pushed back against notions that the Northern region is being marginalized under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He argued that many of the North’s deep-seated problems are “self-inflicted” and have festered for decades, long before Tinubu assumed office.

Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with ARISE News on Thursday, July 31, 2025, and reiterating his stance at a Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF) event in Kaduna earlier in the week, Governor Sani declared President Tinubu as the first Nigerian leader to offer “true and direct support” to sub-national governments, extending beyond statutory allocations.

“In the history of Nigeria, no president has supported sub-nationals like President Tinubu. I am unapologetic; I stand by my statement,” Sani asserted. He cited federal interventions in infrastructure, such as support for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses in Kaduna, and broader economic assistance provided to states, distinguishing these as genuine “interventions” rather than mere revenue sharing.

The Governor directly addressed claims of Northern marginalization, urging a shift from a blame-game mentality to one of collective responsibility. “Our suffering didn’t start two years ago. In 2023, we had 18 million out-of-school children. Eighty percent were in the North. Let no one come now and blame Tinubu for that,” he stated. He pointed out that pervasive issues like insecurity, poverty, and educational backwardness in the North are rooted in “years of systemic neglect” and the “negligence, silence, and inaction” of northern elites over the last two decades.

Sani highlighted the Tinubu administration’s significant efforts in the North, including progress in security (which has transformed states like Kaduna, once under siege), agricultural revolution through initiatives like free fertilizer distribution, educational revamp with schemes like student loans, and enhanced financial inclusion. He also noted that key Northern figures now hold influential positions within the federal government, serving as drivers of reform rather than mere tokens.

Dismissing critics who are not directly involved in governance, Governor Sani urged Northern leaders to prioritize unity and development over political posturing. He called on them to emulate the legacy of Sir Ahmadu Bello by transcending religious and ethnic divides, focusing on building institutions and driving change from within their respective states. “Governance is not about blame, it’s about solutions. And we, the governors, must lead the charge,” he concluded, reinforcing the need for proactive local leadership to address the region’s complex challenges.