A former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central at the National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani, has criticized the growing trend among African leaders—including President Bola Tinubu—of favoring their ethnic groups in key government appointments. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Sani urged Tinubu to avoid this divisive practice, warning that it undermines national unity and equitable governance.
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“I will say that President Asiwaju should be very careful. He shouldn’t toe that line because, in African political geography, each time someone assumes a position of power, they tend to fill major positions with people from their ethnic group—and it’s happening everywhere,” Sani said. He emphasized that leadership should be about serving all citizens, not entrenching ethnic dominance.
Sani’s comments follow rising criticism from opposition figures and some All Progressives Congress (APC) members, including Senator Ali Ndume, who accuse Tinubu of favoring his Yoruba ethnic group in federal appointments. The Presidency, through Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga, has dismissed these allegations, calling them misinformation.
The former senator also took aim at opposition politicians for their selective criticism, noting that many stayed silent when leaders from their own ethnic groups engaged in similar practices. “I would appreciate the morality of the opposition if I had heard your voice when your own man from your tribe was perpetrating those evils and you stood against it,” he said.
Turning to recent political developments in Rivers State, Sani criticized the declaration of a state of emergency and the appointment of a sole administrator, echoing widespread public disapproval. “The popular opinion in the country is that the state of emergency should not have brought in a military administrator,” he stated, aligning himself with sentiments expressed by the political class, youth, and general public.
He advised that the emergency should be limited to six months—ending by September—to allow Governor Siminalayi Fubara to resume office. Sani stressed the importance of reconciliation and warned that prolonging military-style administration could further destabilize the state.
The controversy was further deepened by the resignation of Chief Magistrate King George, who cited an inability to function under what he described as “quasi-military rule.” In a letter dated April 11, 2025, George announced his voluntary retirement, protesting the imposition of military-style governance. However, the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission claimed he was compulsorily retired due to persistent absenteeism—a claim George denied, asserting no disciplinary panel had indicted him.
Sani also confirmed his return to the APC after previously defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), attributing his departure to conflicts with former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. He described El-Rufai’s eight-year tenure as “toxic” and “disastrous,” accusing him of ethnic division, economic mismanagement, and plunging Kaduna into massive debt. “The state was pillaged, destroyed, looted, and dehydrated by Nasir’s empire and his gang,” he alleged, referencing a recent report by the Kaduna State House of Assembly.
He dismissed El-Rufai’s reported coalition talks with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as opportunistic attempts to regain relevance. Sani argued that any opposition coalition against Tinubu in 2027 should support a southern candidate, in the interest of maintaining regional balance after President Buhari’s eight-year rule from the north.
Commenting on the recent killings in Plateau State, Sani joined the Nigerian Governors’ Forum in condemning the violence in Bokkos and Bassa local government areas. The forum, led by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, described the attacks as senseless and a setback to progress. Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang called for dialogue and unity to restore peace, emphasizing the state’s untapped potential in agriculture, solid minerals, and tourism.
Despite his criticisms, Sani commended President Tinubu’s reform agenda, acknowledging that while currently unpopular due to economic hardships, the reforms could yield positive results in the long term. He likened Tinubu’s current struggles to those of global reformist leaders such as Lee Kuan Yew and Mahathir Mohamad, who initially faced public resistance but were later vindicated by the success of their policies.
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