By Suleiman Ibrahim.
Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah has sharply criticized Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani’s call for Northern politicians to apologize for failing the region.
Governor Sani, in a recent interview with TRUST TV, attributed the North’s challenges to the alleged failures of past political leaders, including himself. “Anyone, like I said, who is from northern Nigeria and held a political office in the last 20 years, we all need to look at ourselves in the mirror and apologize to the people of northern Nigeria. We let them down,” Sani stated.
Na’Allah, a former federal lawmaker from Kebbi State, countered Sani’s sweeping statement, demanding specific accusations. “My attention has been drawn to a statement reportedly made by the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, wherein he is alleged to have stated that anyone who held public office in the last twenty years owes the North an apology,” Na’Allah said in a statement released Wednesday.
“Ordinarily, I would have refrained from responding. However, given the importance of public record and the possibility of such remarks being referenced in the future, I feel it is necessary to provide a clear and respectful response.”
Na’Allah, who served multiple terms in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, argued that his record reflects “honesty, sincerity, and an unwavering commitment to inclusiveness.” He added, “Upon reflection and a thorough review of my record in public office, I can identify no action, decision, or position taken by me that was injurious to the interests of the North. I therefore see no reason to offer an apology to Nigeria or to any part of it.”
He challenged Governor Sani to be more precise. “If, after all the sacrifices I have made and the challenges I have faced in the course of my public service, Senator Uba Sani still believes that the North is entitled to an apology, I would respectfully request that he be specific in stating who should apologize and for what precise actions.”
Na’Allah concluded with a call for merit-based leadership in the North, stating, “as long as merit does not guide our selection of leadership, the region will continue to regress, and the complex challenges confronting the North will only deepen and become more difficult to resolve.”
