Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, stated that he has never criticized his predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai, despite inquiries about their relationship and his former political leader’s ongoing detention.
Sani expressed that he continued to hold great respect for the former governor and would not disclose all the actions he had taken to show his esteem for him.
The governor expressed this in an interview with Trust TV’s Daily Politics on Tuesday, when questioned about his apprehensions regarding El-Rufai’s impact before the upcoming election and his worries about El-Rufai’s ongoing detention since February.
“To be honest,I have no issues with him (El-Rufai). Pay close attention to me; I have never said anything negative about him, and I will never say anything negative about him,” Sani stated.
He further separated himself from a remark made by a party supporter who allegedly proposed that El-Rufai stay in custody until post-election.
“The individual who made that remark was expressing his own opinion. The governor stated, ‘He did not represent my views.'”
Sani, however, chose not to reveal specifics of any behind-the-scenes actions he may have taken regarding the former governor’s circumstances, stating he liked to maintain such issues confidential.
“Out of respect, I have done many things to demonstrate my esteem for him; I don‘t believe I should openly express it. Respecting someone means you don’t openly express certain things,” he stated.
He stated, “That’s why I have never spoken ill of him. Nor shall I ever.”
The governor rejected claims that his relationship with El-Rufai had been characterized by public conflicts, asserting that his stance had been steady since he took office.
“Truly, I haven’t revisited any of my statements about him to deny them. Have you ever witnessed me rejecting anything? This is my identity,” he stated.
Sani also stated that he kept connections with past governors of Kaduna State and often sought their advice on governance and development initiatives.
He mentioned his discussions with former governor Ahmed Makarfi regarding road construction, specifically the road connecting Soba and Zaria, which he claimed was shaped by their talks.
“Just last week, I sought advice from Makarfi regarding specific routes I intend to build.” He mentioned that the road he built from Soba to Zaria is part of his consultancy, and Makarfi told him that the road is properly aligned.
Sani states that ex-governors have important experience that can assist their successors in making improved choices.
“As a governor, you don’t possess exclusive wisdom. To achieve success, one must remain humble and heed the advice of others,” he remarked.
He mentioned that his administration was open to learning from the experiences of those before him, stating they may have had strategies they couldn’t execute while in power.
Sani mentioned that he had also sought advice from former Vice President Namadi Sambo regarding the project’s design, stating that he received the Government House design from him.
The governor asserted that he held no animosity toward any of his predecessors, mentioning that he had cautioned from the outset of his tenure that governing would involve difficulties.
“When I assumed the role of governor, I communicated clearly to everyone. I remarked, ‘Governor, you will face difficulties.’ Therefore, if everyone turns around to say you’ll be governor without any obstacles, it indicates they’re not prepared to put in the effort,” he stated.
