Before the May 29, 1999, military handover of power to the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo civilian administration, not many unprogressives people gave a chance of securing power to members of pro-democracy and human rights community. It was taken for granted that military apologists are going to take over the mantle of leadership at all levels at the end of the General Abdulsalam Abubakar led transition.

Few days ago, one irritant acting in cahoots with some political charlatans have recycled a story published way back in 2006 by elements allergic to truth, progress and development of the people. The story, titled: “He Betrayed Gani Fawehinmi, He Betrayed Abubakar Rimi, He Betrayed The Struggle for Democracy, Who is El-Rufai? Reading faceless Omotayo Kehinde’s “published material”, which is essentially aimed to distract Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State from the good job he is doing.

We feel obligated to react to the sponsored fake news by certain cowardly irritants in order not to allow them advertise their foolishness to the level where gullible persony may begin to deodorise their stupidity.

As a formidable group championing the cause of good governance, democratic values, justice and most importantly, the unity of Nigeria, we want to state that the sponsors of the false publication should get ready for a long drawn battle with us in the days ahead if they don’t desist from publishing lies, falsehood and an unholy speculations against one of the time tested pro-democracy personality of Kaduna State.

Conscious of the hatchet plots of his dismembered opponents, we are ready to expose the evil deeds of falsehood peddlers against the people that are behind the campaign of distraction against Uba Sani.

We dare say that the sponsors of the faceless publication have benefited from the insecurity that pervaded Kaduna State over the years. They are very bitter with the successes recorded by the Uba Sani administration in tackling the hydra headed monsters: treasury looting, kidnapping, banditry and insecurity witnessed in the state.

These good for nothing political liars are in their wrapped imagination, publishing the fake news thinking that they will reduce Uba’s awesome popularity, acceptability and electoral prowess across the horizon.

We are happy that his democratic antecedents, style of governance, character, mien, charismatic leadership have dismantled the empire of lies, selective justice, deceit, persecution of opposition, recklessness, vandetta, executive rascality, disobedience to court orders and lack of fear of God in administration of the state witnessed in the state few years ago.

The false publication against him is a complete misrepresentation of the things that transpired during the military junta in which Chief Olisa Agbakoba, Chief Mike Ozekhome, Anyakee Nsirimovu, Uba Sani, Shehu Sani, Denja Yaqub, Naseer Kura, Festus Okoye, Udenta Udenta, Nike Ransome Kuti, Gbenga Soloki, Nankin Bagudu, Chom Bagu,  Amitolu Shittu, Dotun Atilade, Abdul Oroh, Mashood Erubami, Igbuku Otu (Snr) and several others suffered from harassment, intimidation incarceration and were victims of the misrule of the said era. 

The days when unsubstantiated claims against innocent citizens are swallowed hook, line and sinker to give semblance of truth only to achieve preconceived political notions are over for good. 

It is incontrovertible that during the military dictatorship, our indefatigable Comrade Sani was taken into custody several times by agents of the junta, he suffered inhuman and degrading treatment in their gulag. The last of such terrible episode was on June 6, 1998 in Kaduna, when security agents stormed his residence in the night and forcefully took him away to an unknown destination. 

In a statement on the arrest of Uba Sani signed by the Secretary of Congress of Northern Youth for Democracy, Comrade Umar Farouk, as published in the Guardian and other newspapers dated Saturday June 6, 1998. He criticized the wave of arrests across the country, while urging the government to release the detainee unconditionally and quit the stage for democracy. The arrest of Uba Sani may not be unconnected with mass action organised under his leadership in some states in the North and his consistent opposition to Abacha’s government and its anti people’s policies.

He said: “Sani was forcefully kidnapped by security agents at his Kaduna residence, his cloth was shredded and was stripped naked.” 

Farouk went on: “The CNYD wishes to categorically state that despite the crackdown on its leadership in some states in the North, we shall continue our opposition to Abacha government self succession bid.”

He described the clampdown and abduction of the pro-democray leaders across the country such as Chief Arthur Nwankwo, Comrade Ola Oni, Dr Udenta Udenta, Comrade Amitolu Shittu, among others as handiwork of military  junta that is increasingly becoming afraid of the push by the pro-democracy campaigners across the country.

It is an established fact that Uba’s indelible role in the struggle for observance of human rights and democracy against military dictatorship is a story known to progressives family across our land. He championed free Sultan Dasuki, free Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua campaign, free Col Lawan Gwadabe and other political detainees during the Abacha days. The likes of Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, a Gwandu Prince, decorated military officer and highly principled personality can testify that Uba never compromised with the dictatorship of the said era.

In fact, Uba created a safe heaven enclave cum dugout for several activists on the hit list of the military junta as a hide out away from brutalisation and prolonged detention without legal representation or proper trial in a competent court of jurisdiction.

At the post military dictatorship era,  specifically too, he spearheaded granting of scholarships to students in Northern Nigeria organised by the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, of blessed memory. Equally, late Senator Idris Abubakar Gombe of blessed memory was very active in support of the noble initiative.

Again, he established a Foundation, pioneering skills acquisition and vocational training programmes for young people across Kaduna State and beyond to the admiration of all in the year 2006.

Since transiting from human rights and pro-democracy campaigner and entering partisan politics, he had been hard and fast. Of course, from the unyielding stand of those he defeated in the 2023 election adjudged by even election observers as free, fair, peaceful, credible and above all courts of competent jurisdiction, it is easy to infer that his enemies lost the election with heavy hearts and total submission to the will of the people. 

It is a tragedy that the evil doers whom the citizens acknowledged as political spent forces are now holding nocturnal meetings manufacturing falsehoods and imaginary lies invented by lazy people against him. The story manufactured by the opposion is driven essentially by dishonest intention aimed towards disinforming the gullible members of the public.

Shouldn’t his accusers by now have learnt enough from costly spreading of fake news that is of no effect, a waste of time, absurd and may lead them to disrepute, including defamatory legal consequences?

We are certain, all the booby traps being strewn on his path to re-election shall be smashed and dismantled by the people’s acceptance of his administration as sincere and committed to their interest. Uba is very serious about dismantling evil and pressing forward with progress and development of Kaduna State, not  complacency with evil doers.

We shall sooner than later put the identity of the sponsors on the Speaker phone for the people to understand who are the real enemies that don’t want their progress. 

The coming election is expected to provide the platform to consolidate the progress made in Kaduna State over the last 3 years under the present administration. He will surely emerge victorious so that he can take the state where it ought to be not where some charlatans want it to be.

Governor Uba Sani’s antecedent and present disposition to popular participation has emboldened us to come out in his support, believing that men of conscience and goodwill would extend a listening ear to us and reject their lies rudely being thrown at him.

…Shibkau is the pioneer National Publicity Secretary of the Northern Coalition for Protection of Democracy