By Clement Shekogaza Wasah,
It is generally agreed that the significance of June 12, 1993 in Nigeria is in the fact that an estimated 14 million Nigerians set aside ethnic, religious, class, and regional affiliations to elect their president with the hope of ending several years of military dictatorship.
It is against this backdrop that in 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari moved Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12 in honour of the winner of that election, Chief M.K.O Abiola, who was denied his victory, and “to remind all Nigerians of denial of their rights and their choice.”
One of the most significant consequences of the June 12 election annulment was that the struggle to de-annul birthed many pro-democracy groups, most of which coalesced under NADECO (National Democratic Coalition). Many leaders of the current Fourth Republic emerged from NADECO. Of particular significance and interest to Kaduna state is the incumbent governor, His Excellency, Sen Uba Sani.
Governor Uba Sani was one of the leading lights of the democratic movement that galvanized the patriotic struggle against military authoritarianism in Nigeria. He joined the movement at a time when raw bravery and patriotism were required; he joined when military dictatorship was at its apogee.
Operating from Kaduna through the Movement for Freedom and Justice, which he founded, Governor Uba Sani, along with other patriots, deployed his organization and networking skills in creating a strategic base for the pro-democracy movement in Northern Nigeria.
Consequently, he played high-level leadership roles as National Vice Chairman (North) of Campaign for Democracy (CD), which had over 40 affiliated groups in its fold. CD’s primary goal was to advocate for a return to civilian rule through the holding of a sovereign national conference. It was a strong member of NADECO, the umbrella and face of domestic and global opposition to military authoritarianism in Nigeria. Dr Beko Ramson-Kuti was CD National Chairman, while Governor Uba Sani was National Vice Chairman (North). The Chairman and many leaders were often arrested for their work. Governor Uba Sani was not spared the ordeal either. He too had his baptism of fire. He was incarcerated.
Besides CD, Governor Uba Sani worked closely with the iconoclastic Chief Gani, SAM (Senior Advocate of the Masses), as Deputy National Chairman (North) of the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria (JACON).
The involvement of the governor in the human rights and democratic movement transformed the engineer into a dyed-in-the-wool democrat. It was like going through the crucible.
As if that was not enough, Governor Sani has been a very active participant in the Fourth Republic holding very strategic positions: Special Advisor on Public Affairs to President Obasanjo, Special Advisor on Political and Intergovernmental Affairs to Governor Nasir el-Rufai, and Senator of the Federal Republic, among others.
Therefore, Governor Uba Sani came into Sir Kashim Ibrahim House fully prepared, fully kitted physically and mentally. He is thus not a situational or an accidental Chief Executive Officer. This has enabled him to sail through the rough sea of debts and drought of funds that characterized last year, without losing focus on repositioning the state government to deliver the greatest good to over 8.4 million (2018) citizens as far as resources can carry.
The combo of engineering training and practice, social sector/human rights experience, and political praxis clearly manifests in what we see today in Kaduna State.
The Governor himself never tires of repeating that “A major pillar of our Governance Agenda in Kaduna State is Nurturing Citizens Engagement. We want to carry the people along in decision-making processes, especially on how their resources are allocated and expended.”
The validity of the statement is vivid in the projects commissioned on the first anniversary, tagged 365 days of Governor Uba Sani. They were projects that directly impact the welfare and security of the citizens and residents of the state.
The effect of the governor’s active involvement in the June 12 saga is writ large in what he says and does as the Chief Executive Officer of the State. He thinks, speaks, and acts inclusion and participation of all persons, irrespective of their place in society. Only a committed democrat, forged in the furnace of human rights activism and struggle against authoritarianism, could be so focused. Any wonder many call him “talk and do” Governor or “Gwabna mai “Alheri”?
Indeed, it takes a dyed-in-the-wool democrat like H.E. Sen. Uba Sani to galvanize the citizens of Kaduna State, a microcosm of Nigeria, to set aside political party, ethnic, religious, class, and regional affiliations for peace and development. This is the significance of June 12 to Kaduna State.
Clement Shekogaza Wasah is SSA (Community Engagement).
