By Newspot Nigeria News Desk
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has urged Nigerians to remain vigilant against what he described as desperate moves by some opposition elements seeking to undermine the nation’s democratic process.
The governor spoke when the Presidential Media Team, currently touring federal government projects in the North-West, visited Kaduna State to inspect major federal and state infrastructure projects.
The team, led by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, inspected several projects including the 35-kilometre Gadan-Gayam, Gwaraji and Kujama roads linking 76 farming communities in Igabi, Kajuru and Chikun Local Government Areas.
They also visited the multi-billion-naira Skills Acquisition Centre and the 300-bed Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital.
Other members of the team included the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Mr Sunday Dare; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Special Duties, Tunde Rahman; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Engagement and New Media, Otega Ogra; and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Tope Ajayi.
The tour, initiated by the Governor Hope Uzodimma-led Renewed Hope Ambassadors, also included officials from the Federal Ministries of Transportation and Works, as well as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement in the North-West, Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai.
Speaking at a state banquet organised for the delegation and more than 50 journalists, Onanuga commended the infrastructure drive of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani, saying Kaduna had become a clear example of how increased allocations to states could translate into visible development.
He said the scale of road construction, urban renewal and public service upgrades in the state showed that Governor Sani had effectively deployed increased resources made available through federal fiscal reforms.
“The administration of Governor Uba Sani has effectively leveraged these resources to address critical infrastructure gaps and improve the quality of life for residents,” Onanuga said.
He described Governor Sani as a former human rights activist and democracy advocate who had moved beyond criticism to practical governance.
“Governor Uba Sani has a history as a human rights activist and a fighter for democracy. What he has demonstrated today is that he was not just an armchair critic. Given the opportunity, he pursues the public good.
“Some communities in Kaduna went without roads for two decades. Governor Uba Sani is now opening up the state and developing every part of it.
“When I return to Abuja, I will tell Mr President that the money his government has been giving to states is being put to work in Kaduna,” he added.
Governor Sani thanked the Presidential Media Team for highlighting the infrastructure projects being delivered under President Tinubu’s administration, particularly in Kaduna State.
He warned Nigerians not to be swayed by what he called “self-serving narratives” from individuals and groups whose main interest, according to him, is the pursuit of political power rather than national development.
The governor said Nigeria’s democracy, though still developing, must be protected by citizens through collective responsibility and respect for constitutional governance.
“Some of us lost our freedoms. We went to detention. We fought for this democracy. At that time, many journalists lost their freedoms. Some even lost their lives,” he said.
Governor Sani recalled the sacrifices of democracy activists and journalists, mentioning Bagauda Kaltho and Dele Giwa among those who paid the price during Nigeria’s struggle against military rule.
He also commended Onanuga, Dare and Rahman for their roles in defending democracy and communicating the achievements of the present administration.
The tour later continued to the Kaduna-Kano-Jigawa-Katsina-Maradi railway line.
Briefing the team, the Project Desk Officer for the Kaduna-to-Kano section at the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Mr Abdullahi Yakubu, said the section had reached 68 per cent completion.
Yakubu said work was progressing steadily across different segments of the rail line, adding that a major part of the remaining work involved a bridge connecting Rigasa to the Afaka-Mando axis.
According to him, the bridge is a crucial section of the route linking Kaduna to Zaria and is necessary for seamless rail connectivity along the corridor.
He said the Kaduna-to-Kano rail line covers 203 kilometres and is expected to be completed by December 2026.
— Newspot Nigeria
