By CHARLES CHIJIOKE
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has called on Nigerians to remain alert to what he described as desperate moves by opposition elements seeking to undermine the country’s democratic process, even as the Presidential Media Team commended ongoing federal and state-backed infrastructure projects in the North-West.
The team, led by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, toured several key projects across Kaduna State, praising what it described as significant strides in infrastructure development under President Bola Tinubu and the Sani administration.
Projects inspected include the 35-kilometre Gadan-Gayam, Gwaraji and Kujama road network connecting 76 agrarian communities across Igabi, Kajuru and Chikun local government areas, a multi-billion-naira Skills Acquisition Centre, and the 300-bed Bola Ahmed Tinubu Specialist Hospital.
Other members of the delegation were Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications; Tunde Rahman, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Special Duties; Otega Ogra, SSA on Digital Engagement and New Media; and Tope Ajayi, SSA on Media and Publicity. The tour, initiated by the Hope Uzodimma-led Renewed Hope Ambassadors, also involved officials from the Federal Ministries of Works and Transportation, alongside Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai, SSA to the President on Community Engagement in the North-West.
Speaking at a state banquet attended by over 50 journalists, Onanuga attributed Kaduna’s development momentum to improved fiscal allocations to states following reforms by the Tinubu administration.
“The administration of Governor Uba Sani has effectively leveraged these resources to address critical infrastructure gaps and improve the quality of life for residents,” he said.
“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,” Onanuga added.
In his remarks, Governor Sani cautioned citizens against narratives he described as self-serving and politically motivated, urging collective responsibility in safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy.
“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.
“We’re talking about the likes of Bagauda Kaltho, Dele Giwa, and many others. I vividly remember a night here in Kaduna, with myself, Comrade Shehu Sani, and many other comrades, together with Bagauda Kaltho.
“In the middle of the meeting, some of us left for another meeting. Bagauda Kaltho went straight to the Durbar Hotel in Kaduna. An hour later, we learned that the military junta had killed him. It could have been any one of us.”
He also praised Onanuga, Dare and Rahman for their continued efforts in promoting democratic values and communicating government policies.
“Many times, I see Bayo Onanuga and Sunday Dare writing rejoinders. Some people ask why, but they may not understand the answer. People must realise that we had many sleepless nights in the past, fighting for democracy,” the governor said.
The inspection tour extended to the Kaduna-Kano-Jigawa-Katsina-Maradi railway project, where Abdullahi Yakubu, Project Desk Officer for the Kaduna-Kano segment at the Federal Ministry of Transportation, disclosed that the project has reached 68 per cent completion.
He noted that a major bridge linking
Rigasa to the Afaka-Mando axis remains a critical component of the project, which spans 203 kilometres and is scheduled for completion by December 2026.
The tour and accompanying endorsements come amid growing political contestations ahead of future elections, with the administration highlighting infrastructure delivery as a key measure of performance.
Observers say such public validations could strengthen public confidence in government initiatives, while also intensifying political narratives between the ruling party and opposition groups over governance and democratic integrity.
The statement was issued by Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information and Public Relations, State House, Abuja, on May 1, 2026.
