I can take a bullet for Tinubu - Uba Sani

Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna, says he is supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 because of the benefits the state has received from Abuja.

He added that he can put his body on the line for the president.

In an interview with Trust TV’s Daily Politics, Sani said Tinubu facilitated the establishment of four federal universities in Kaduna, secured three federal-level appointments for indigenes of the state, and released funds for road construction and rehabilitation.

He also said the president approved funding for a light rail project in Kaduna and provided additional compressed natural gas (CNG) buses for the state.

Sani said his support for Tinubu is based on the benefits to Kaduna, rather than personal favours.

Asked if he could take a bullet for Tinubu because of the benefits, the governor responded in the affirmative.

“I can take it,” he said.

“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?”

The governor said he approached Tinubu seeking two new universities for Kaduna, but the president approved four: 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 the Kaduna Polytechnic, his alma mater, into a federal university of technology.

Sani said Tinubu made several promises during his 2022 campaign visit to Kaduna, including the reconstruction of the 123-kilometre Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road, which he said had been abandoned for 45 years.

He said he reminded the president of the pledge two years ago by showing him a clip of him making the promise to the Emir of Birnin Gwari. According to Sani, N178 billion has since been released for the project, and construction is ongoing.

He added that Tinubu approved funds for the reconstruction of the road linking Jama’a, Kwoi and Jere, which he said had been in a dilapidated condition for almost 40 years.

Sani also said he approached Tinubu for funding to construct a light rail project in Kaduna, similar to the one in Lagos.

“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.”

The governor said he also told Tinubu that Kaduna could afford only 50 CNG buses, but the president provided funding for an additional 50, bringing the total to 100.

Sani said the state purchased the 100 buses and recorded 5.2 million passenger trips in the last one and a half years.

‘It saves our workers, downtrodden, market women, artisans about N5 billion that they are supposed to pay. This is Asiwaju’s effort,” he added.