El-Rufai vows to do whatever it takes to remove Shehu Sani as the senator representing Kaduna Central

GOVERNOR Nasir El-Rufai has vowed to do whatever it takes to prevent Kaduna Central Senatorial District's lawmaker Shehu Sani from returning to the senate next year despite attempts by their party to reconcile the two of them.

Senator Sani and Governor El-Rufai are both members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) but the senator has been a fierce critic of the governor recently. In May, Governor El-Rufai cursed the three senators representing Kaduna State for opposing a $350m loan his government was seeking from the World Bank when the matter came up in the senate.

In April, the senate decided not to approve the loan request after a committee headed by Senator Sani advised against it on the grounds that the state is the second most indebted in the country. Senator Sani, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign and Domestic Loans, argued that the new loan if approved will erode economic viability of Kaduna State.

His position was supported by the two other senators from the state - Suleiman Hunkuyi, representing Kaduna North and Danjuma La’ah representing Kaduna South. Furious at the opposition from the senators, Governor El-Rufai described them as enemies of the state, people and the ruling APC.

Several committees set up by Governor El-Rufai have suspended Senator Sani from the party but aware of the division this has caused, the APC has tried to address the matter. Earlier this month, Senator Sani met with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, where he pledged to remain within the APC.

Last week, Senator Sani paid Sallah homage to President Buhari at his country home in Daura. Senator Sani had disclosed that they deliberated on issues bordering on strengthening the APC through the resolution of all internal tissues.

He said: “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 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. The party had made it very clear and known to each and every person that there will be a reward for loyalty but in every sense of the word due process of the party needs to be followed.”

However, addressing party stakeholders at Kaduna North Local Government Area, Governor El-Rufai declared that he would only listen to the senator if he secures $350m loan for Kaduna State. He added that he personally asked a certain Uba Sani to contest against the senator.