I’m Nobody’s Boy! Governor Uba Sani Fires Back At El-Rufai, Names Real Mentors

The Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, has downplayed remarks made by his predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai, who recently described him as his “boy” and mentee.

Appearing on TVC’s Politics on Sunday, Governor Sani said he saw no need to respond directly to El-Rufai’s comments, stressing that his political journey has been shaped by leaders such as President Bola Tinubu and the late human rights lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi.

“I don’t think it is necessary to respond to that comment,” Sani said. “What I can say is that there are many people who influenced my life. I met President Bola Tinubu in 1994 at the home of Beko Ransome-Kuti. Gani Fawehinmi was like a father to me; during the struggle era, I lived with him. My focus is Kaduna State. I don’t talk about individuals, and I don’t get distracted. My eyes are on the ball.”

The governor also dismissed reports that his administration was paying ransom to bandits in troubled parts of the state, describing the claims as politically motivated falsehoods.

“Some politicians are playing politics with insecurity. People should ignore them. We are not paying ransom to any bandit. The community leaders came up with the non-kinetic idea, and I listened to them. We haven’t paid a single dime. Anyone suggesting otherwise is simply trying to mislead the public,” he stated.

According to him, the state has adopted a combined strategy of kinetic and non-kinetic measures, working closely with community leaders and security agencies to curb attacks, especially in Birnin Gwari, where community-driven initiatives have recorded progress.

On the recent violent disruption of an opposition transition committee meeting, Governor Sani distanced himself from the incident and reaffirmed his commitment to democracy.

“As someone who fought for the rule of law and was detained five times, I will never be part of anything aimed at stopping anyone’s political activities,” he said.