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Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has challenged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to demonstrate the road infrastructure projects he facilitated to the northeastern part of the country during his eight years in office, contrasting his record with what he described as the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in Northern Nigeria.
Sani issued the challenge on Saturday during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna, where he also declared that history would be kind to Vice-President Kashim Shettima for his role in the administration’s infrastructure development efforts in the North.
The governor said the Tinubu administration had undertaken significant road construction projects in the region, particularly in the North-west, arguing that the government’s record should be assessed against the infrastructure delivered rather than political claims.
According to him, more than 1,000 kilometres of roads had been constructed in the northeast under the current administration, a development he said would form part of Shettima’s legacy as vice-president.
Sani challenged Atiku, who served as vice-president under former President Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007, to point to comparable road projects and other infrastructures undertaken during his tenure.
He questioned whether the former vice-president could identify even 200 kilometres of roads that he personally helped deliver for the northeast during his eight years in office.
“That is why when somebody came to us and ask us to vote for him because he is a northerner, we can boldly ask him, what did you do for us when you were the vice president for eight years? Can you show us 200 kilometres of road that he himself was able to at least help the people of the North-east when he was the vice-president?” Sani asked.
He added that, in his assessment, no such record had been demonstrated by Atiku.
The governor said the comparison was necessary to enable Nigerians to evaluate the contributions of political leaders to the development of the region, particularly in the area of infrastructure.
Sani praises Shettima’s role
Sani said history would remember Shettima favourably for his contribution to infrastructure development under Tinubu’s leadership, particularly the reported expansion of road construction across the region.
“And I dare say that even Mr Vice-President sitting there, I was talking to him at the airport. And I told him, history will remember him, and will be kind to him,” the governor said.
He maintained that road infrastructure remained critical to the economic integration of Northern Nigeria, given the region’s vast geographical spread and the importance of connecting communities, commercial centres and agricultural production areas.
The governor also cited the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway reconstruction as a major federal intervention, saying the project was nearing completion.
He recalled that he had drawn Tinubu’s attention to the importance of the road during a meeting with the President about two years ago and commended the Federal Government for proceeding with its reconstruction.
Sani described the highway as a strategic route linking states across the North-West, North-Central and North-East, while connecting Northern Nigeria with the southern part of the country.
He said the previous abandonment of the road had been associated with insecurity and funding challenges, adding that its reconstruction would improve transportation and economic activities along the corridor.
Challenges opposition to present its record
The Kaduna governor’s remarks formed part of a broader argument that political leaders seeking public office should be judged by their records in government.
He questioned the basis for presenting a candidate as the preferred choice for Northern Nigeria without demonstrating verifiable achievements in infrastructure and other areas of development.
Sani argued that voters should examine the projects delivered by political leaders while in office rather than rely solely on regional affiliations or campaign narratives.
His comments came as the APC began its campaign for the 2027 general election, with Tinubu seeking another term in office.
The governor also urged party supporters to be vigilant against misleading information circulating online, alleging that opposition campaign activities had increasingly relied on artificial intelligence-generated content.
He called on supporters to scrutinise campaign materials and verify claims before accepting or sharing them.
The APC campaign flag-off brought together party leaders, governors, elected officials and supporters from different parts of the country, with Kaduna serving as the venue for the launch of the party’s mobilisation ahead of the 2027 polls.
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