Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, on Saturday, said the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi made significant contributions to Nigeria’s democracy by keeping the political space open. He made this revelation at the public presentation of a book titled “Gani Fawehinmi and Uba Sani: A Tale of Mentor and Mentee” in Kaduna. The Governor recalled that... The post Fawehinmi Opened Nigeria’s Political Space — Uba Sani appeared first on New Telegraph .
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, on Saturday, said the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi made significant contributions to Nigeria’s democracy by keeping the political space open.
He made this revelation at the public presentation of a book titled “Gani Fawehinmi and Uba Sani: A Tale of Mentor and Mentee” in Kaduna.
The Governor recalled that Fawehinmi spearheaded the legal struggle against stringent conditions imposed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on political associations seeking registration.
According to him, many human rights and pro-democracy activists became disillusioned during the period, but Fawehinmi refused to allow frustration to turn into despair.
The Governor said Fawehinmi and former Kaduna State governor, Balarabe Musa, subsequently approached the courts to challenge INEC’s position.
He further revealed that the legal battle lasted more than two years before the Court of Appeal delivered judgment in their favour in 2002.
Governor Sani also recalled that INEC appealed the judgment to the Supreme Court, which also ruled in their favour in January 2003.
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According to him, the verdict opened Nigeria’s political space and paved the way for the emergence of more political parties.
Sani urged Nigerians to remember those who fought for political plurality whenever new parties emerge, and citizens exercise their rights to political association.
He said many Nigerians exercising political freedom today might not know that such freedoms were secured through difficult struggles by people like Fawehinmi.
The governor urged activists, politicians and academics to periodically remember Nigerians who fought and sacrificed for democracy.
He described Fawehinmi as not only a fighter for political freedom but also a committed pan-Nigerian who believed in developing every part of the country.
The governor recalled that he was entrusted with coordinating the foundation’s scholarship programme in Northern Nigeria.
Sani said he persuaded Fawehinmi to establish a major scholarship programme for brilliant but indigent university students across Northern Nigeria.
He said the initiative was necessary because educational deprivation was particularly severe in the region at the time.
According to him, the programme awarded scholarships to more than 1,000 indigent students across universities in Northern Nigeria.
He recalled travelling across universities in the region with others to identify deserving beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme.
