By Saleh Salihu Saminaka
The resignation of Professor Sani Bello and Benjamin Jock — two high-ranking figures in Governor Uba Sani’s inner political circle — has sent shockwaves through the Kaduna State Government and the All Progressives Congress (APC), exposing the deepening rot and internal fractures within the administration.
Professor Sani Bello, Director-General of Uba Sani’s 2023 gubernatorial campaign and former Commissioner for Information, tendered his resignation amidst rising tensions. Similarly, Benjamin Jock, the secretary of the Campaign Council and former Senior Special Assistant on Infrastructure, walked away from a government he once helped usher into power. Their quiet but symbolic exits have now triggered widespread outrage among both serving political appointees and the party hierarchy.
The implications are grave: the once tightly knit political machinery that swept Uba Sani into power now appears to be collapsing under the weight of disillusionment, betrayal, and gross mismanagement.
A Cascade of Resignations
The resignations of Prof. Bello and Jock are only the latest in a growing list of trusted aides who have abandoned the Uba Sani administration, unable to stomach what insiders describe as “a toxic blend of excessive greed, governance by paranoia, and institutionalised disrespect.” Among those who have previously jumped ship include:
1. Dr. Shehu Makarfi, former Commissioner for Education and Local Government, who resigned his post as Senior Counsellor on Political Affairs.
2. Barrister Chris Umar, SAN, who stepped down as Deputy Chief of Staff (Legal and Legislative Matters).
3. Hassan Rilwan, former Adviser on Student Affairs.
4. Umar Hassan Waziri, who served as Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration).
These were not fringe appointees — they were senior government officials, many of whom were instrumental in building the Uba Sani campaign architecture in 2023. According to multiple sources within the State Executive Council, their exits reflect more than personal grievances; they expose a pattern of micromanagement, humiliation, and erratic leadership that has left the administration paralysed.
A Governor at War with His Team
It is no longer a secret in Sir Kashim Ibrahim House that Governor Uba Sani is a man increasingly isolated from his own government. According to insiders, the current Secretary to the State Government (SSG) has made repeated efforts to resign, citing untenable working conditions, but has been persuaded to stay — for now.
Several commissioners are either actively contemplating resignation or have resigned internally, choosing instead to fold their arms or, in more drastic cases, prepare to work against the governor’s re-election bid. “He will go into the 2027 elections alone,” one serving official told this reporter. “Nobody wants to campaign for a man who rules by insults and rewards betrayal.” That assessment may prove prophetic. The general mood among the governor’s aides is one of cold revenge. Over 80% of his appointees, according to a senior party figure, are “just bidding their time” — waiting for the opportunity to “pay him back in his own coins.”
The toxic environment is worsened by the governor’s frequent outbursts. Multiple sources confirm that Uba Sani has developed a disturbing habit of publicly humiliating his commissioners, special advisers, and even permanent secretaries — using words described as “unprintable and dehumanising.” One commissioner reportedly collapsed and bust into tears in his office after being verbally assaulted by the Governor during a closed-door meeting.
Rewarding Betrayal, Punishing Loyalty
Perhaps the most galling grievance among the governor’s original loyalists is the pattern of appointments since 2023. Many of those who fought tooth and nail to deliver Uba Sani at the polls have been sidelined in favour of individuals who either openly opposed him or worked against the APC in the last elections.
The joke now circulating in Kaduna’s political corridors is grim: “Support Uba Sani and get punished. Fight him and get promoted.” The result is a collapse in morale among his core team. Even those still serving in government do so with visible bitterness.
One former campaign coordinator put it bluntly: “He is using and dumping loyalists while elevating enemies. Nobody respects that kind of leadership.”
A Party in Collapse
Within the APC, the situation is deteriorating rapidly. In Governor Uba Sani’s own Kaduna North Local Government, party executives and ward chairmen have been resigning en masse over the last two months — a clear sign that the governor is losing control of his political base.
Worse still, memories remain fresh of the humiliating episode during the local government elections earlier in October last year. The governor, scheduled to vote at his polling unit in Kawo, Kaduna North, was reportedly barred by angry voters. Security agents fired sporadically to evacuate him, but a stray bullet tragically struck and killed a young man at the scene.
That incident marked a turning point — not just in public perception but within the party itself. “That was the moment people realised the emperor had no clothes,” a local APC stalwart said.
The Price of Micromanagement
Governor Uba Sani’s style of governance — a cocktail of paranoia, micromanagement, and exclusion — has now alienated nearly every key player within his team. Instead of building a legacy, he is now fighting to keep what remains of his crumbling administration intact.
As Kaduna inches toward 2027, one question looms large: Who will fight for Uba Sani when the time comes? From all indications, the answer may be no one. And that, perhaps, is the steepest price of betrayal — not from enemies, but from those who once called him “leader.”
The Zamani Lekwot Controversy And The Anger Generated
Governor Uba Sani’s administration continues to spiral into unprecedented levels of controversy, chaos, and political betrayal. His latest act- a publicised visit and glowing tribute to the controversial retired General Zamani Lekwot has further alienated the Muslim majority who overwhelmingly voted for his Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 elections. The decision has sparked an uproar that is rapidly transforming political disillusionment into seething anger within both Kaduna State and the wider northern region.
During the visit,Governor Uba Sani brazenly described him as an “elder statesman” — a statement that has ignited outrage across the Muslim population of Kaduna State.
To many, particularly the victims and survivors of the 1992 Zangon Kataf genocide, this was nothing short of betrayal. Zamani Lekwot, a key figure in that crisis, is believed to have played an instrumental role in instigating, supporting, and overseeing the massacre of Muslim men, women, and children — a fact etched in the painful memory of northern Nigeria. That Uba Sani, a product of the northern Muslim political machine, would laud such a man has left many in shock.
“This is not reconciliation,” a prominent Islamic cleric said under anonymity. “It is the celebration of an unrepentant enemy of the Muslim Ummah.”
Political insiders believe the visit was an ill-advised attempt at image laundering, driven more by ego and desperation than statecraft. It may, however, prove to be a costly miscalculation that could fracture the religious and political base that brought him to power.
Ego-Driven Governance: Ministries Created Without Due Process
In a further demonstration of executive recklessness, Governor Uba Sani recently announced the creation of three new ministries:Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs,Ministry of Youth Development,Ministry of Information.
These ministries were created arbitrarily, without the constitutionally required presentation to the Kaduna State Executive Council or approval by the State House of Assembly.
“No white paper. No legislative backing. No budgetary provision. Just an emperor’s command,” lamented a senior civil servant familiar with the matter. “This is no longer a government. It is a one-man show.”
In a most glaring example of disregard for legality, Ahmed Maiyaki, a commissioner-designate, was allowed to attend an Executive Council meeting on Wednesday — despite neither being screened nor sworn in as required by law. This unprecedented violation underscores just how far Kaduna, once the proud administrative headquarters of northern Nigeria, has fallen into systemic lawlessness.
The Grand Heist: 9.7 Billion Naira Local Government Funds Missing Monthly
Despite his public denials, Governor Uba Sani is now widely believed to be siphoning over ₦9.7 billion monthly from local government allocations. This conclusion stems directly from the governor’s own lips when he recently told clerics he assembled at Murtala Square that each of the 23 LGAs receives over ₦100 million monthly.
If taken at face value, this amounts to ₦2.3 billion monthly — which is less than 20% of the ₦12+ billion that FAAC has consistently disbursed to Kaduna’s local governments monthly in the past two years. So, where is the remaining ₦9.7 billion going?
This self-indicting statement confirms what many have long suspected — that Uba Sani is operating a financial blackhole, using the remaining funds to fuel personal ambitions, or worse.Unlike during the El-Rufai administration — where LGAs were visibly active with road projects, schools, and health centres — there is virtually no evidence of local government presence today in Kaduna State. Despite receiving massive allocations, the LGAs remain ghost governments.
During El-Rufai’s time, when the naira was ₦400/$1 and inflation far lower, local governments thrived and were even empowered to engage in infrastructure development.
Nasara Rabo,a Former Kagarko Local Government Chairman wrote on a verified social media handle:
“As a chairman under El-Rufa’i, we went through comprehensive training both locally and internationally in leadership courses, project implementation, procurement ethics, environmental and climate challenge, conferences and seminars. We compete internationally as sub-nationals and we enjoy financial autonomy. Projects were visible at the grassroots .
Let this be witness all over the country as we ( ADC) take over come 2027″
Today, under Uba Sani’s inflated economic environment, local government chairmen have become mere clerks and errand boys.
Their emasculation is further evidenced by the recklessness of the Commissioner for Local Government, who continues to make indiscreet and self-incriminating statements, effectively exposing the administration’s grip over LGA funds and operations.
“He behaves like a godfather,” said a civil servant who spoke off-record. “He signs off on projects local governments didnt initiate, controls releases, and reports directly to the governor. Local Government Chairmen under Uba Sani are just puppets.”
A Dangerous Man in Government House
The pattern is clear: Governor Uba Sani runs a rogue administration built on arrogance, illegality, betrayal, and zero accountability. His government tolerates no advice, accepts no correction, and treats institutions with utter disdain. Aides whisper that he is more dangerous than Idi Amin and Mobutu Sese Seko combined, not because of physical violence, but due to his unchecked political egomania and vindictiveness.
What Kaduna is witnessing today is not simply bad governance — it is the systemic breakdown of institutional order.
From publicly glorifying those who have blood on their hands, to ignoring legislative protocols, to plundering local government resources, Uba Sani’s administration has become a case study in executive failure and moral collapse.
If this trajectory continues, Uba Sani may go down in history not as a progressive governor, but as a cautionary tale of what happens when power meets pride, and competence is replaced with delusion. A public affairs analyst recalled This is exactly how former Governor Ramalan Yero let power slipped out of his hands”
The people are watching. The party is breaking. And the 2027 elections may become the ultimate referendum on treachery in governance.
From Durable Roads to Eroding Dreams: The Decline of Infrastructure Standards
A glaring example of Governor Uba Sani’s failed leadership is the collapse of road infrastructure across the state. Roads built under his tenure are already washing away within months—crumbling beneath the first seasonal rains. In stark contrast, roads constructed during El-Rufai’s era remain intact, a testament to the rigorous quality assurance mechanisms previously in place.
Insiders reveal that most of El-Rufai’s projects were subject to standardized assessments, periodic technical evaluations, and continuous supervision, something entirely absent under Uba Sani. Today, project quality has been sacrificed on the altar of nepotistic contracting and kickbacks. One senior civil servant quipped: “We’ve moved from building Kaduna to patching potholes of shame.”
Sycophancy as Strategy: Ambitions to be picked as Vice President
Among his fellow governors, Uba Sani has earned a reputation not for performance, but for opportunism. At national events and Television, rather than defending northern interests or engaging constructively with colleagues, he has become infamous for publicly castigating them—just to sycophantically praise President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, often unprovoked.
There are strong rumours in political circles that Uba Sani is secretly lobbying to be picked as Vice President in the event of a political shake-up that might sideline Kashim Shettima. But what he fails to realise is that the President’s inner circle already has intelligence reports on his mismanagement, excessive micromanagement, and the growing rebellion within Kaduna’s political system.
Ironically, the state’s security agencies—who should be his closest allies—have now become victims of his contempt. Security insiders confirm that the governor routinely ignores calls from top security officials, rarely offers operational support, and has verbally insulted senior officers on multiple occasions. This has created a vacuum of coordination, affecting both internal security and inter-agency confidence.
Nepotism on Steroids: The Kaduna Family & Friends Government
Governor Uba Sani has established a full-blown nepotistic regime, filling the Kaduna State Government with over 40 blood relatives and close associates in strategic roles. Key examples include:
1.Commissioner of Finance – A cousin of the Governor
2. Adviser on Investment – His father’s younger brother
3. Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Local Government – A cousin
4. Adviser on Domestic Affairs – A biological brother (same father and mother)
5. Director General, Kaduna State Facilities Management Agency – An uncle
6. DG, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) – Another nephew.
7. State Assembly Member from Zaria City Constituency – His younger brother
8. Special Assistant on Land Matters – Also a cousin
This dangerous network of personal appointments has created an echo chamber of loyalty without merit, further eroding governance capacity.
Executive Council Reduced to Contract ratification meeting
In Kaduna today, the State Executive Council no longer governs. It merely ratifies decisions already taken by the governor and his inner circle. Since his inauguration in 2023, the Council has only met 9 times—far below the normal requirement of weekly sittings.
And even when it meets, it does so without substance or authority. Memos are typically brought months after contracts have been awarded, and commissioners are summoned only to regularize and “ratify” what the governor has already unilaterally decided.
Projects conceived within Ministries are hijacked before the initiating agencies are even consulted. There is no technical review, no budget vetting, no implementation plan. Kaduna has now become a state governed by executive fiat.
Since Uba Sani took office, there has not been a single instance of open competitive bidding for public contracts:No advertisements,No invitation for bids,
No technical or financial evaluation,No public bid openings-Instead, multi-billion-naira contracts are secretly awarded to companies linked to the Governor —some with no prior record of executing public works.
For instance, at Wednesday’s “contract ratification” meeting, the governor announced the award of 10 road projects—without disclosing:
The names of the companies awarded the contracts,The project costs,Or implementation timelines. Also astonishing is how he conveniently omitted the ₦20 billion contract for the renovation of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, which had been secretly awarded to three obscure companies:
1. Mike 5 Multi Resources Ltd
2. Salha 2020 Gardens
3. Maxcee International Ltd
Checks at the Ministry of Sports confirmed the ministry was never consulted — not during project design, costing, or contractor selection. The contract was awarded entirely from the governor’s bedroom. The Uba Sani administration was so ashamed to mention this misplaced priority project to the public.
Worse still, the EXCO meeting lasted only 25 minutes, as the governor was in a rush to return to Abuja by private jet , which brougt him in the morning.
One commissioner confided bitterly ” This man should simply stop wasting our time, with this ratification thing. Let him just do as he wants since Kaduna is now his personal estate”
Fraudulent Re-Awards and Fertiliser Scams
Among the 10 contracts announced after the “Contract Ratification Meeting” was the Romi-Karadu Road, which had already been awarded and launched in 2023 with a groundbreaking by the governor himself. Now, it has suspiciously reappeared as a “new” contract — clearly a vehicle for double-dipping and fraudulent billing.
Also kept hidden from the public was the ₦5.2 billion fertiliser contract, ratified the same day. Had it been announced, citizens would have asked: How could ₦5.2 billion be used to procure 400 trailers of 15-15-15 NPK at market value of 60,000 per bag? The truth is less than 100 trailers of fertiliser were purchased but the Governor’s cravings for headlines increased it 400 trailers!
Kaduna Shut Down When the Governor Travels
Perhaps the most tragic aspect of Governor Uba Sani’s administration is the paralysis of government in his frequent absence. Once he departs Kaduna—usually to Abuja or abroad—governance grinds to a halt.
Expenditures as low as ₦5 million are withheld because no one dares approve anything until he returns. Commissioners, permanent secretaries, and directors are routinely stranded—waiting for one man to return to work.
This is not governance. This is autocracy!
Conclusion:
Governor Uba Sani promised to be a bridge between continuity and reform. Instead, he has become the poster child for betrayal, cronyism, and reckless governance. His obsession with ambition, disregard for protocol, abuse of institutions, and nepotistic domination of the state have reduced Kaduna to a glorified personal enterprise.
Kaduna State deserves better. The people are watching. And history will not be kind to those who trade public trust for personal ambition.
Saminaka Can be reached on [email protected]
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