Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has openly criticized northern Nigeria’s political class, declaring that leaders from the region over the past 20 years have collectively failed their people and must apologize for decades of underdevelopment and neglect.

Speaking during an interview with TRUST TV, Governor Sani stressed the importance of accountability and constructive criticism in governance, while warning against opportunistic political commentary.

“Every democracy must allow criticism, but it must be constructive and in the interest of Nigerians. That’s what we did as activists — not because we wanted power,” Sani said.

He pointed fingers at many of today’s critics who, despite having held key positions in the past, now attempt to distance themselves from the failures they contributed to.
“Anyone from northern Nigeria who held a political office in the last 20 years — we all need to look in the mirror and apologise to the people. We let them down,” he said.

Admitting his own role as a former senator, the governor attributed much of the region’s hardship to long-term economic exclusion and leadership failures. “The problems of northern Nigeria didn’t start two years ago. We’re talking about decades of neglect,” he said, citing his previous work on financial inclusion as chair of a Senate banking committee.

Sani also criticized the inefficacy of major government spending under the Buhari administration.
“Buhari spent hundreds of billions on social interventions. But 70% of the population remained financially excluded. That’s why poverty deepened,” he stated.

He praised individuals like Dan Bello Galadanchi for their integrity, but cautioned against rebranding by those responsible for the region’s decline.
“Those who were part of the rot and now claim to have repented? That’s not right. We must not deceive the people of northern Nigeria,” he warned.