Senator Shehu Sani has taken a swipe at ex-Governors Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi over their recent criticisms of President Bola Tinubu, accusing them of hypocrisy and selfish political motives.
The senator who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th Senate, lashed out at the duo for blaming President Tinubu’s policies for rising hunger and poverty in the country, stressing that both El-Rufai and Amaechi have no moral ground to criticise the current administration, as they failed to address the same challenges during their time in power.
“El-Rufai and Amaechi should bow their heads in shame,” Sani said during a press briefing at his Kaduna residence. “They are the architects of the banditry, poverty, and hunger they now pretend to lament. During their tenure, they did nothing to solve these issues, and now they cry foul simply because they have been left out of the current government.”
His remarks come in the wake of El-Rufai’s recent statement at a public lecture in honour of Rotimi Amaechi, where the former Kaduna governor claimed that “urban bandits” had taken over governance in Nigeria.
Sani, however, dismissed such comments as self-serving and insincere.
“There’s nothing wrong with criticising a government,” Sani said. “But when such criticism stems from personal disappointment over missed appointments rather than genuine concern for the people, it becomes dangerous.”
He further accused former officials from the Muhammadu Buhari administration of attempting to undermine Tinubu’s government after failing to secure positions in his cabinet.
“These individuals controlled the affairs of the country for eight years. They had the power, the resources, and the influence to transform the North into a socio-economic model for the rest of the country. Instead, they left it in a worse condition,” Sani lamented.
He called on Nigerians to recognise the progress, however limited, that has been made under the current government, especially in terms of security.
“Today, people can travel the Birnin Gwari road, which was once a death trap due to incessant bandit attacks. The southern part of Kaduna, once abandoned, is now relatively peaceful thanks to the efforts of the current Chief of Defence,” he noted.
While acknowledging that insecurity still persists in parts of the North, such as Katsina and Zamfara states, Sani insisted that the situation has improved compared to what existed under the previous administration.
He urged President Tinubu to do more for Northern Nigeria while also encouraging openness to criticism—as long as it was constructive and not driven by political bitterness.
“Nigeria must learn from its past. The country will only achieve greatness when development is evenly distributed, and criticism is driven by patriotism rather than self-interest,” he said.
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