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By Gozie Ogbuaku

KADUNA state occupies a strategic position in the political and cultural history of Nigeria. You’ve heard it repeated in some quarters, and it is true, that when Kaduna sneezes, the rest of Nigeria catches a cold. This may have stemmed from the fact of Kaduna being the headquarters of the defunct Northern Region, which exercised strong influence over the rest of Nigeria.

The rest of Nigeria surely took note on Tuesday, 15 March 2022, when the Chairman of Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Financial Institutions, Distinguished Senator Uba Sani (Kaduna Central), threw his hat in the ring for a gubernatorial battle. Coming heavily prepared, and with a big bang, the Senator declared his intention to be the next occupant of Lugard Hall, as Kaduna State’s Chief Executive by May, 2023.

His declaration appeared to have the blessings of those who can make his dream come true, of course, with the anticipated backing of the majority of the electorate. The full gamut of movers and shakers of Kaduna state APC chapter, including the party’s chairman, secretary and most of the executive committee members, turned up at the state Secretariat, as the Senator declared his gubernatorial aspiration. The momentous event instantly gave the residents a fair idea of who may become their next governor, after the pace-setting tenure of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

Watching the declaration from the vintage observatory, and considering all the flashing green lights at the background, it’s hard to see anyone else who can beat Senator Uba Sani for the gubernatorial ticket in the APC intra-party contest, or defeat him for the coveted crown in the general elections.

As it was expected, Senator Uba Sani’s declaration, like most other important political events in Kaduna state since 2015, turned out to be a referendum on the leadership style, and the commendable legacy of the incumbent governor. The Senator himself set the ball rolling with his declaration speech entitled: “Sustaining and building on a legacy of outstanding public service and impact.” He said the incumbent governor had elevated the bar of governance in the state, with his innovative and transformation policies that have impacted positively infrastructure, agriculture, health, education and water services in the state.

Uba Sani is an eminent member of Malam Nasir El-Rufai’s core team, the group from within which the governor has clearly stated he wishes his successor to emerge. You would then be prompted to ask, is it legitimate, in tandem with democratic norms and global best practice, for incumbent public office holders to be overly concerned about the pedigree of their successor? 

To all rational minds, the answer would be a resounding yes. If a leader had been resourceful enough, like El-Rufai, and had fought strident battles to reform, reinvent and transform an organisation or any other entity, he would naturally have a desire to be succeeded by someone who shares his vision or passion for excellence, and who also has the capacity to sustain and build on the many reforms and innovations he had emplaced in various sectors.

Some observers would then worry about the ghost of godfatherism which tends to be an albatross each time an outgoing leader successfully enthroned a favourite candidate as successor. There have been countless instances since the return of democracy in 1999, where outgoing leaders picked their successor, signed a return on the investment deal, and then hoped to teleguide the next government, using the godson essentially as a puppet or remote control. The result had always been detrimental to the common good.

Gladly, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has “killed transactional leadership”, to quote Senator Uba Sani. Even his ardent political opponents would admit it’s unthinkable for the governor to promote a political stooge in the hope of continuing to govern Kaduna state by remote control after 2023. If he throws his influential weight behind any gubernatorial aspirant, it can only be based on a pragmatic assessment of who has the pedigree, who has a track record of dedicated service, and who could be relied upon to sustain, or surpass, the current tempo of transformational activities in all sectors across Kaduna state.

As a core team member, Senator Uba Sani as governor would sustain the noteworthy policies of El-Rufai which are already yielding appreciable results in education, health, urban renewal, effective budgeting and so forth. Years of association, observing and working closely with Mallam, as some admirers call Nasir E-Rufai, has undoubtedly rubbed off on Senator Uba Sani.

He himself admitted, in his declaration speech, that he had imbibed many principles of effective leadership from Mallam. One such concept is that “the leader needs courage to take tough decisions, no matter whose ox is gored, for the greater good of the greatest number of the people.” Governor El-Rufai has built a reputation for taking tough decisions, according to the dictates of his conscience, and in-depth assessment of what is best for the

In the run-up to the 2019 general elections, Mallam El-Rufai had used the same parameters to select a woman of substance and a dedicated public servant to team with him as he sought a second tenure. Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe has distinguished herself as the most loyal and resourceful deputy governor in the current dispensation.

 Senator Uba Sani looks as good as being the next governor of Kaduna, barring any unforeseen political cataclysm. His outstanding performance as first-term Senator, and his many relevant forays and exploits in politics and governance, stand him out as the front runner in the 2023 race to Lugard Hall.

Can anybody truly accuse Senator Uba Sani of lacklustre representation in the Senate? The facts would belie such an accusation if is ever made. Despite being a greenhorn and unranked in the 9th Senate, he was named Chairman of the very important Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Financial Institutions. In this capacity, he sponsored and piloted the Banks and Other Financial Institutions (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Act 2020, which helped to re-energise banking services in the country.

In fact, Senator Uba Sani worked so hard in his three short years at the Upper Chamber of NASS, that he ranks among the Senators with the highest number of progressive bills in the 9th Senate.

To be sure, the 2023 gubernatorial race in Kaduna is going to be tough. But the odds seem to favour Senator Uba Sani. Given his penchant for hard work, his ability to carry people along, his position as a loyal and longstanding member of the core team and the support of the party structure, you don’t need to consult a marabout to visualise that he is the most likely occupant of Sir Kashim Ibrahim House by the end of May 2023. Indeed, the cap fits him. Let him wear it.