Senator Shehu Sani, a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has criticized Northern political elites for threatening to use the controversial tax reform bills as a political weapon against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for re-election in 2027.
In an interview with The Sun, Sani urged Northern leaders to focus on contributing positively to He emphasized that President Tinubu has entrusted critical institutions and ministries to individuals from the North, highlighting their potential to influence the region’s development positively.
Shehu Sani stated:
“He has placed Northerners in charge of significant positions in his administration. For instance, a Northerner from Kaduna State is the Chief of Defence Staff. Another from Adamawa State serves as the National Security Advisor. Similarly, Northerners occupy the roles of Minister of Agriculture, Minister of State for Agriculture, Minister of Defence, and Minister of State for Defence, with these appointees hailing from Jigawa and Zamfara States, respectively. Until recently, the Minister of Education was also from the North.”
The former senator also took the opportunity to address what he described as a lack of accountability during the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari. He criticized Northern elites for remaining silent despite what he viewed as numerous shortcomings under Buhari’s leadership.
Sani remarked:
“When our own led the country for 96 months, what did he achieve for the North? Despite the failures, people chose to remain silent. They refused to hold him accountable or question his administration. They didn’t say, ‘We voted for you, but you failed us.’”
Sani went on to highlight the unfulfilled promises during Buhari’s administration, listing several missed opportunities:
- Infrastructure Development: He failed to construct major roads in Northern Nigeria or complete projects like the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano expressway and the Kano-Kaduna-Lagos route.
- Mambila Power Plant: The much-anticipated power plant remained inactive for eight years.
- River Niger Dredging: The River Niger was neither dredged nor revived.
- Agriculture: Billions of naira were reportedly spent on agricultural initiatives with little to no tangible results.
Sani added that although Buhari appointed many Northerners to key positions, these individuals failed to advance the region’s interests effectively.
He concluded by questioning the moral justification of Northern elites criticizing Tinubu’s administration when they failed to hold Buhari accountable:
“If you couldn’t demand accountability from one of your own during his eight years in office—if you stayed silent and folded your arms—what right do you have now to threaten someone else’s political future?”
Sani’s remarks reflect his call for introspection and constructive engagement from Northern leaders, urging them to focus on meaningful contributions to national development rather than divisive political tactics.