Despite Shehu Sani’s Meeting With President Buhari, El-Rufai Renews Vow To Him With Uba Sani
The Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has reiterated his determination to replace the senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, despite deal with the national headquarters of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to “reward” loyal lawmakers who chose to remain in the party.
Mr Sani, on Thursday, paid Sallah homage to President Muhammadu Buhari at Daura, Katsina State, and thanked him for intervening in the crisis facing the APC in Kaduna State.
The senator said they deliberated on issues bordering on strengthening the APC through resolution of all internal strife in the party.
“I am also here to fully assure him of the support of my constituency, Kaduna Central, to his aspiration for the second term.
“I’m also here to assure him (President Buhari) of my own wholehearted support to the success of his administration and his return to office for the second term.
“Those were the basic issues that we discussed with him and other issues that border on the need to strengthen our party; the need to end all internal strife and also the need to put heads, hearts and hands together for the success of his administration and also for the success of the party,” he said.
On his Kaduna Central Senatorial ticket, the senator told journalists in Daura that, “the party had made it very clear and known to each and every person that there will be reward for loyalty but in every sense of the word due process of the party needs to be followed.”
But a day after Mr Sani’s visit to see the president at his hometown, Mr El-Rufai, while addressing party stakeholders at Kaduna North Local Government Area, said he would only listen to the senator if he secures $350million loan for Kaduna State.
“In politics, it is impossible to hide your choice. Government officials have their choices but the government does not have a candidate. Whoever you selected, is the choice of God.
“But as you all know, I have my candidate here. You may recall that we voted for somebody named Shehu Sani in the last election. When he went to Abuja and drank Abuja water, he started misbehaving, abusing the president and this government and sabotaging the party.
“For this, I personally asked Uba Sani to contest against him. So Uba Sani is my candidate.
“As you all know, Shehu Sani is among the senators who denied Kaduna State access to loan. Since he has shown the people of Kaduna State this enmity, you must pay him back in his own coin at the primary election.
“I therefore seek your favour in the primary election to support Uba Sani.
“We are surprised that Shehu Sani has not left the party. We thought he would commit political apostasy like others, but he remained in the party making efforts to correct his sins.
“We are waiting for him. As I have said, we have no grouse about him but his character. If he repents, we will listen to him. But if he refuses to secure that $350million loan for Kaduna State, we will not listen to him.
“Those close to him should tell him: wherever he goes (for lobbying), we will not listen to him if he did not bring $350million to Kano,” he said.
