Former Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has said that the North’s lingering issues of poverty, insecurity, and decaying infrastructure are not the fault of President Bola Tinubu but rather the result of decades of failed leadership by past Northern leaders.
Speaking at his residence in Kaduna on Tuesday while receiving members of the Tijjaniyya Grassroots Mobilisation and Empowerment Initiative of Nigeria (TIGMEIN), Sani criticized Northern elites for squandering opportunities and mismanaging the region’s resources.
“We had Buhari in power for eight years, yet the North remained impoverished,” he said, referencing the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He also lamented the collapse of major industries that once contributed to Northern Nigeria’s economy.
“Industries like KTL, UNTL, Nortex, Arewa Textiles, and others were abandoned. Our leaders chased personal gains, not the people’s progress,” Sani added.
The former lawmaker strongly opposed attempts to shift blame for the North’s problems onto President Tinubu, who has only been in office for two years.
“The North’s problems didn’t begin two years ago. Former leaders had the chance to fix education, healthcare, and security, but they failed. Today, they want to deceive you that Tinubu is your problem. Ask yourself, did bad hospitals, failed roads, and insecurity start in the last 24 months?” he challenged.
Sani pointed to several long-abandoned projects including the Kaduna–Abuja Road, Minna–Abuja Road, Lokoja–Abuja Expressway, Ajaokuta Steel Company, and the Mambilla Power Project, as evidence of neglect and betrayal by those who once held power in the region.
Warning against recycling such leadership, he said: “No matter how bad things may seem now, know this, your brothers from the North failed you. If they return to power, nothing will change.”
He concluded by praising TIGMEIN’s grassroots development initiatives, particularly its focus on youth and women empowerment.
Sani described the group’s efforts to equip vulnerable populations with vocational skills as a “meaningful approach to tackling poverty and fostering peace.”
