Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has called on political leaders from Northern Nigeria who have held office over the past two decades to take responsibility for the region’s deepening socio-economic challenges and offer a public apology to the people.
Speaking during an interview with Daily Trust, the governor criticized former officeholders who, despite being part of past administrations, have now turned vocal critics of the current government.
“Anybody from Northern Nigeria who held a political office in the last 20 years, all of us must look at ourselves in the mirror and apologize to the people of Northern Nigeria, we let them down,” Sani said.
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The governor argued that the region’s woes did not start recently, but are the result of systemic failures stretching over two decades.
He emphasized that those who were part of previous governments bear collective responsibility for the poverty, insecurity, and economic exclusion afflicting the region.
“The problem of Northern Nigeria didn’t start two years ago; we are looking at the trajectory in the last 20 years. I can give you the statistics and data.
“I know the poverty index of Northern Nigeria. I know the number of people in Northern Nigeria that are financially excluded,” he stated.
Sani also pointed to past federal efforts under former President Muhammadu Buhari, including large-scale social intervention programs, which he argued failed to address the region’s structural poverty, largely because the majority of residents remain outside the formal financial system.
He added: “Every human being, if you’re a former president, governor, vice president, senator, house of representatives member in Northern Nigeria in the past 20 years.
“I will tell you you are part of the problem. That’s why I don’t believe we should deceive Northern Nigerians or misinform them.”
The governor noted that while he welcomes constructive criticism of the current administration, he believes it is hypocritical for past leaders to deflect blame for challenges that took root under their own watch.
