‘Name northern leaders to apologise’, Na’Allah tackles Uba Sani

Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, a former federal lawmaker, has tackled Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State for saying that northern politicians have failed the region and must apologise to the people. In an interview with TRUST TV, governor Sani attributed the region’s challenges to the alleged failure of its political leaders who have served the […]

Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, a former federal lawmaker, has tackled Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State for saying that northern politicians have failed the region and must apologise to the people.

In an interview with TRUST TV, governor Sani attributed the region’s challenges to the alleged failure of its political leaders who have served the nation in the past.

The governor admitted to being part of the system and stressed that northern Nigeria’s challenges stemmed from decades of underdevelopment and neglect.

He said: “I’ll say it here today — all of us; I was a senator in this country, and the problems of northern Nigeria didn’t start two years ago

“Anyone, like I said, who is from northern Nigeria and held a political office in the last 20 years, we all need to look at ourselves in the mirror and apologise to the people of northern Nigeria. We let them down.”

Reacting, Na’Allah, who represented Kebbi State at different times in the House of Reps and the Senate, faulted the governor’s comments.

In a statement he personally signed on Wednesday, the former lawmaker noted that while he would ordinarily have ignored such a comment, the seriousness of the issue and its potential to influence public discourse compelled him to respond.

Na’Allah disagreed with governor Sani and challenged him to be specific in apportioning blame.

The statement reads: “My attention has been drawn to a statement reportedly made by the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, wherein he is alleged to have stated that anyone who held public office in the last twenty years owes the North an apology.

“Ordinarily, I would have refrained from responding. However, given the importance of public record and the possibility of such remarks being referenced in the future, I feel it is necessary to provide a clear and respectful response.

“I have had the rare privilege of serving as a two-term member of the House of Representatives and a two-term member of the Senate. During these years, I have rendered my service to Nigeria—and by extension, the North—with honesty, sincerity, and an unwavering commitment to inclusiveness. One of my Senate terms was served alongside Senator Uba Sani, now Governor of Kaduna State.

“Upon reflection and a thorough review of my record in public office, I can identify no action, decision, or position taken by me that was injurious to the interests of the North. I therefore see no reason to offer an apology to Nigeria or to any part of it.

“If, after all the sacrifices I have made and the challenges I have faced in the course of my public service, Senator Uba Sani still believes that the North is entitled to an apology, I would respectfully request that he be specific in stating who should apologize and for what precise actions.

“Finally, to my fellow Northerners, I reiterate a long-standing concern: as long as merit does not guide our selection of leadership, the region will continue to regress, and the complex challenges confronting the North will only deepen and become more difficult to resolve.”