Shehu Sani blames North’s woes on past leaders

Shehu Sani, a former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District of Kaduna State, has blamed failed leadership by past northern leaders for the poverty, insecurity, and decaying infrastructure in the North.

Speaking separately in Kaduna on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and women empowerment center, Sani accused past leaders from the region of squandering opportunities and looting resources while neglecting the people who trusted them with power.

“We had Buhari in power for eight years, yet the North remained impoverished,” he decried.

He urged northern leaders to focus on tackling issues such as poverty, underdevelopment, illiteracy, and other factors that contribute to violence. Sani also encouraged Kaduna people to remain vocal and engaged on security matters without being drawn into partisan disputes. “The future of the North depends on courage, honesty and unity,” he said.

The former senator highlighted that schools, worship centres, and communities in the North have repeatedly been targeted by criminal and extremist networks. He noted that some groups operate across Nigeria’s borders with neighbouring countries, creating a complex regional security environment.

While acknowledging ongoing security challenges in Kaduna, Sani commended Governor Uba Sani for steps taken to improve security and reduce religious tensions in volatile areas, including Birnin Gwari. He also noted progress under the current federal administration in addressing broader national security concerns.

Sani emphasised that solutions to insecurity must come from within Nigeria, saying, “Foreign powers cannot resolve our security challenges. Our focus must be on strengthening our armed forces and uniting as citizens.”

He also cautioned that as the 2027 elections approach, security risks could increase if preventive measures are not prioritised.

“Industries like KTL, UNTL, Nortex, Arewa Textiles, and others were abandoned. Our leaders chased personal gains, not the people’s progress,” he said.

Sani described it as “deceptive and unjust” to pin the region’s problems on President Bola Tinubu, who he said had been in office for just two years, when decades of mismanagement predated his presidency.

“The North’s problems didn’t begin two years ago. Former leaders had the chance to fix education, healthcare, and security, but they failed.

“Today, they want to deceive you into believing that Tinubu is your problem. Ask yourself, did bad hospitals, failed roads, and insecurity start in the last 24 months?” he said.

The ex-lawmaker also listed abandoned projects like the Kaduna-Abuja Road, Minna-Abuja Road, Lokoja-Abuja Expressway, Ajaokuta Steel Company, and the Mambilla Power Project as proof of a leadership that betrayed the North.

Warning against the return of such leaders, Sani said: “No matter how bad things may seem now, know this: your brothers from the North failed you. If they return to power, nothing will change.”