Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, has dismissed claims of northern Nigeria’s marginalisation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, urging a shift from “blame narratives” to collective problem-solving.

Speaking to State House correspondents after meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Sani acknowledged the complex challenges facing the region but underscored “tangible evidence” that northerners hold key positions in the federal government.

“You cannot be talking about marginalisation when you have the Minister of Defence, Minister of State for Defence, the National Security Advisor, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Chief of Army Staff—all from northern Nigeria. Even the head of the Civil Defense and Controller of Immigration are from the North,” he said.

The governor listed further examples: “Both the Minister and Minister of State for Agriculture are northerners; Health is led by someone from the North. When you look at these records and positions, what are we talking about marginalisation?”

Sani urged stakeholders to focus on pragmatic solutions rather than feeding perceptions of exclusion.

“Northern Nigeria’s problems are complex and steeped in history, but blaming others is not productive. The evidence shows northerners are well represented and involved in government at all levels. The key is human capital development and unity among northern leaders, businessmen, and communities. Government alone cannot solve these challenges—it requires collective effort.”

Referencing the July 29–30, 2025, meeting of northern leaders at Arewa House in Kaduna, Sani described the event as “critical and commendable.”

“For the first time in our nation’s history, such a broad representation came together to discuss holistically the challenges of northern Nigeria,” he said. “We all agreed no zone in the North was marginalized, based on data and statistics.”

He added that while “many speculated before the meeting that northern Nigeria was marginalised,” the evidence presented contradicted.
The governor was candid about the region’s biggest challenge: education.

“The most important area we need to address in northern Nigeria is human capital development. According to UNICEF data, in 2023, there are 18.5 million out-of-school children in Nigeria, with 70 to 80 percent domiciled in northern Nigeria. This is a serious problem that requires focused intervention.”

Sani stressed that the issue is longstanding: “Even in 2019, when I was in the Senate, the out-of-school children were already about 18 million. So, this is a trajectory we must change.”

Calling for unity, he said: “We should not be sitting there complaining, blaming everyone. Instead, we must bring all stakeholders together—business leaders, civil society, government—to chart a pathway forward. Looking at wealth distribution, many of the richest business leaders in Nigeria, including the richest man in Africa, hail from northern Nigeria. We need their involvement in solving these problems.”

Governor Sani also briefed journalists on development discussions with President Tinubu.

“We are working closely with the federal government on our light rail project here in Kaduna to complement our Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which started about six months ago. I came to brief Mr. President on the progress we are making.”

He highlighted the establishment of a cancer center within Kaduna’s 300-bed Bolami Julio Specialist Hospital:

“When President Tinubu visited Kaduna, we agreed to establish a cancer center. I assured the President that the process of building this cancer center has now started.”

Sani said:

“The Executive Council has allocated funds, and the Minister of Works informed me that 200 billion naira has been released to contractors. This road is very important. While initially planned for 14 months, we now aim to complete it within eight months.”

The governor acknowledged continuing security challenges but noted progress:

“We recruited about 7,000 vigilance personnel who have helped significantly in intelligence gathering and sharing. Security cannot be won by kinetic means alone; it requires socio-economic interventions at the grassroots.”

He concluded by emphasizing a comprehensive approach to peace in the Northwest:

“Addressing the root economic and social causes is vital to restoring peace in the Northwest and beyond. This government is committed to that comprehensive strategy.”

Governor Sani’s message was clear: northern Nigeria is not marginalised—it is represented. But, he stressed, true progress will require more than appointments and projects; it will demand unity, investment in education, and a shared commitment from all northern stakeholders to shape the region’s future.