Religious Leaders Praise Uba Sani's Leadership in Kaduna

Governor Uba Sani’s leadership style focuses on fair development in Kaduna State. His approach to governance promotes fairness and justice for everyone. Religious leaders have praised him for this at a Special Interfaith Dialogue held at the Brigadier Abba Kyari Banquet Hall on Monday.

Muslim and Christian leaders commended the Governor for his efforts. They noted that since he took office over three years ago, Kaduna State has enjoyed relative peace and harmony. They pointed out the improved coexistence between Muslims and Christians.

The event was organized by the Kaduna State Bureau of Interfaith. Speakers highlighted several achievements of the current administration. Many of them called for Uba Sani’s re-election to continue his work.

During the event, Uba Sani reflected on his promise when he took office in 2023. He aimed to run an inclusive government that has gained the trust of the people in Kaduna State and beyond. He said, "People have been asking me about our model. Our model is very simple. It does not need any study. It is about justice. It is about bringing everyone to the table."

He continued, "When we came into office, we inherited a state that was highly toxic and divided. As a Governor, I allocated land to some people but they refused to build in those places because of their faiths."

Uba Sani stated that this is unacceptable. He wants Kaduna State to be a model for others in Nigeria. He is committed to restoring its glory. He remarked, "We are the most diverse state in Nigeria, the most cosmopolitan but unfortunately, we allowed politics to always dictate the direction of our political leaders."

He also mentioned that on May 29, 2023, he took an oath of office. He swore by the Glorious Qur’an to be fair to everyone, regardless of their ethno-religious backgrounds. Rev Caleb Ma’aji, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna State, spoke about the Governor’s successes.

Rev Ma’aji recalled when Uba Sani attended the Christmas Carol on December 22, 2024. He had asked for three major road projects for his people. The CAN Chairman listed the Nasarawa-UNTL-First Bank road, the PAN Drive-Television Garage-Sabon Tasha road, and the Romi-Karatudu road. He expressed gratitude that two of the roads are completed and the third is nearly done.

"Last year, His Excellency re-introduced the Christian pilgrimage to Jordan and Jerusalem. We want to place it on record that this is an act that we truly appreciate."

Rev Ma’aji added that the Governor sponsored 50 Christians on the pilgrimage. He hopes that this year, the number will double by God's grace. He also thanked Uba Sani for choosing Mr Jerry Adams as his running mate for the upcoming election, calling it a break from the old ways.

Prof Khalid Aliyu, the Secretary General of Jamaátul Nasir Islam, noted that the theme of the Special Interfaith Dialogue, "An Overview of the Impactful Three Years of Peaceful Coexistence and Inclusivity In Kaduna State: Unveiling The Secret," aligns with the International Day of Peace.

He pointed out that this year's theme for the International Day of Peace is "Invest In Peace, For Everyone, In Everywhere, Everyday." He described the Governor as a peacemaker. Sheikh Haliru Maraya also spoke about Uba Sani’s achievements, including reducing tuition fees in all Kaduna State-owned tertiary institutions to increase access.

He mentioned that under the previous administration, 4,876 lives were lost due to insecurity. Also, 7,694 people were kidnapped, and 1,660 incidents of insecurity were recorded. "Before the coming of this administration, there were 534 schools that were closed due to insecurity. As of today, there is not a single school in Kaduna State that is not open."

He added that before, there were 500 hectares of uncultivated land due to insecurity. Now, landowners have returned to their farms. He concluded that Governor Uba Sani’s "three years, four months and six days in office has brought development in Kaduna State."

In his goodwill message, Bishop David Bakare, National Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), admitted he didn’t vote for Uba Sani in 2023. He said, "I didn’t believe in anything that you were going to do. I didn’t know you. Your handlers didn’t effectively market you to us well. It is after you began your work in Kaduna State, that I asked myself why I didn’t vote for you."

He stated that now, with another opportunity ahead, he would not hesitate to support the Governor this time. "It is not just about me but many," he said.