Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has insisted that he has never spoken against his predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai, despite questions over their relationship and El-Rufai’s continued detention.
Sani stated this during an interview on Trust TV’s Daily Politics on Tuesday, saying he still had tremendous respect for the former governor and would not publicly disclose all the steps he had taken to demonstrate his regard for him.
“Honestly speaking, I have no problem with him. If you listen to me carefully, I have never spoken anything bad about him, and I will never speak anything bad about him,” he said.
The governor also distanced himself from a statement by one of his party’s supporters suggesting that El-Rufai should remain in detention until after the next election. Sani said the comment represented the individual’s personal opinion and not his position.
He declined to disclose details of any private efforts he might have made concerning El-Rufai’s situation, saying respect for others did not require making such actions public.
Sani also rejected suggestions that his relationship with his predecessor had been defined by public disagreements, maintaining that he had not withdrawn or contradicted his previous statements about El-Rufai.
The governor said he maintained cordial relationships with former Kaduna governors and consulted them on governance and development matters. He cited discussions with former governor Ahmed Makarfi on road projects, including the road linking Soba and Zaria.
He also disclosed that he had consulted former Vice President Namadi Sambo on a project design, including obtaining the design of the Government House from him.
According to Sani, former officeholders possess valuable experience that can help serving governors make informed decisions.
“When you are sitting as a governor, you don’t have a monopoly of wisdom. The way to succeed is to be humble and listen to people who advise you,” he said.
Sani maintained that he had nothing against any of his predecessors, adding that he had acknowledged from the beginning of his administration that governance would come with challenges.
