Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has declared his unwavering support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, saying he is prepared to take a political bullet for the President and will stand by him until the last minute.
Sani said his support for Tinubu was based on the benefits Kaduna State had received under the current administration, including strategic federal appointments, infrastructure development, transportation funding and investments in education.
The governor made the remarks during an interview with Trust TV’s Daily Politics, where he maintained that his loyalty to Tinubu was driven by the interests of Kaduna State rather than personal favours.
Asked whether he could take a political bullet for the President, Sani replied, “I can take it.”
He added, “I have no apology for supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and I will continue to support him till last minute and I will tell you why, because many people do not know President Tinubu, I know him, and I’ve been with him for 32 years and I cannot pretend.”
According to the governor, his longstanding relationship with Tinubu had helped him secure federal appointments for Kaduna indigenes and attract projects he said would benefit the state.
Sani cited the appointment of General Christopher Musa (retd.) as Minister of Defence, Balarabe Abbas Lawal as Minister of Environment, and Shehu Dikko as Chairman of the National Sports Commission.
He said he had spoken with Tinubu about the appointments, describing them as important to Kaduna’s representation at the federal level.
“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,” he said.
“Now we have three ministers, and I was instrumental in talking to Mr President. What do I need more than this?”
Four university initiatives for Kaduna
The governor also credited Tinubu with supporting education development in Kaduna, saying he had initially requested two additional federal universities but the President approved four university initiatives.
They include the Federal University of Applied Sciences in Kachia, the Federal University of Education in Zaria, the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University of Petroleum Resources in Rigachikun, and a proposed conversion of Kaduna Polytechnic into a federal university of technology.
Sani presented the initiatives as evidence of the Federal Government’s support for the state and its educational development.
Tinubu’s role in road projects
On infrastructure, the governor said the Tinubu administration facilitated funding for the 123-kilometre Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road, which he described as having been abandoned for 45 years.
According to Sani, Tinubu promised to reconstruct the road during a campaign visit to Kaduna in 2022. He said he later reminded the President of the pledge by showing him a video of the commitment, after which N178 billion was released for the project.
The governor also said funding had been approved for the reconstruction of the road linking Jama’a, Kwoi and Jere, which he said had remained in poor condition for nearly four decades.
$865m light rail project
Sani further disclosed that Tinubu had approved funding for a proposed light rail project in Kaduna after he requested support for a transportation system similar to the one in Lagos State.
He said the proposed project would cover a 50-kilometre corridor stretching from Rigachikun to Sabon Tasha, adding that $865 million, which he valued at more than N1.2 trillion, had been released.
The governor also said the Federal Government supported Kaduna’s mass transportation programme by providing funding for an additional 50 compressed natural gas buses after the state initially planned to acquire 50.
According to him, the state subsequently purchased 100 buses, which recorded 5.2 million passenger trips over the preceding 18 months.
Sani said the initiative had helped reduce transportation costs for residents, particularly workers, traders, artisans and low-income earners.
“It saves our workers, downtrodden, market women, artisans about N5 billion that they are supposed to pay. This is Asiwaju’s effort,” he said.
The governor’s remarks underline his commitment to Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election, with Sani pointing to federal appointments and development projects as key reasons for his continued support of the President.
