By Ben SD Kure
In examining the trajectory of Senator Dr. Uba Sani, CON, one cannot separate his present leadership from his past sacrifices. Long before assuming office as Governor of Kaduna State, where he now serves as Vice Chairman of the APC Governors Forum, Coordinating Governor of the APC North-West, Renewed Hope Ambassador, and Deputy Director-General for Party Outreach, Engagement and Mobilisation, he had already etched his name into Nigeria’s democratic history as a frontline pro-democracy activist.
His recognition as Governor of the Year 2024 by THISDAY Newspapers and Governor of the Year 2025 by Leadership Newspaper reflects not merely administrative performance, but a leadership philosophy shaped by resilience, sacrifice, and strategic depth.
Forged in the Crucible of Resistance
During the military regimes of Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha, an era when civic freedoms were severely curtailed and dissent often meant detention, Uba Sani emerged as a courageous voice within the pro-democracy movement.
He played strategic roles in the Campaign for Democracy (CD) and the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria (JACON), working alongside some of Nigeria’s most revered democracy advocates. Among them were the irrepressible Beko Ransome-Kuti, who led the Campaign for Democracy, and the indomitable Gani Fawehinmi, who spearheaded JACON’s resistance against military dictatorship.
He also stood shoulder to shoulder with Shehu Sani, sharing the risks of arrest and detention; with renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana; and with legal luminary Olisa Agbakoba. Together with numerous other patriots of the June 12 struggle, they confronted authoritarianism at great personal cost.
As National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the Campaign for Democracy and Deputy National Chairman (North) of JACON, Uba Sani was not a passive participant. He was an organiser, mobiliser, and strategist. His activism came with detention, intimidation, and the constant threat of repression.
Those years were not merely political episodes, they were formative experiences that shaped his democratic convictions.
This pedigree underscores Governor Uba Sani as a consummate democrat. His deep understanding of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is rooted in their shared history within the pro-democracy struggle.
Both men were forged in the crucible of resistance and carry an acute awareness of the fragility of democratic gains.
Uba Sani’s political acumen is therefore not theoretical, it is experiential. His governance style, anchored on inclusion, dialogue, bridge-building, and institutional strengthening, reflects someone who understands firsthand the value of democratic space and the dangers of its erosion.
The story of Nigeria’s democracy, particularly the turbulent aftermath of the annulled June 12, 1993 election, cannot be fully told without acknowledging the sacrifices of activists like Senator Dr. Uba Sani, CON, who risked personal liberty to ensure democracy would ultimately prevail.
Today, as he deputises Governor Hope Uzodinma in the APC Governors Forum and coordinates party efforts in the North-West, Governor Uba Sani brings to governance the same resilience that defined his activism.
In Kaduna State, his leadership is marked by deliberate efforts to reduce political tension, foster inclusion, engage across religious and ethnic divides, and strengthen institutions. He governs not as one intoxicated by power, but as one who remembers when power was unchecked.
To describe Uba Sani as an emerging strategic force in the North is to recognise a leader whose strength lies in quiet calculation, tested conviction, and disciplined politics. His influence grows not through bombast, but through consensus-building and institutional consolidation.
From the barricades of resistance to the corridors of power, his journey represents continuity between struggle and stewardship, sacrifice and service. As Nigeria deepens its democratic experiment and prepares for future challenges, leaders grounded in sacrifice and strategic foresight remain indispensable.
In that unfolding national narrative, Uba Sani’s imprint is already indelible.
— Ben SD Kure
