Shehu Sani, former Senator of Kaduna Central, has challenged the democratic credentials of ex-Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, insisting that he never played a role in Nigeria’s struggle against military dictatorship.
Speaking on TVC’s Politics Tonight on Monday, Sani underscored that his own career was birthed through personal sacrifices, unlike El-Rufai who entered politics after civilian rule was restored.
“For people like Nasir, when they found themselves in a position or office, they don’t know what democracy is all about because they didn’t fight for it,” Sani asserted.
He narrated his ordeals as an activist during military rule, recalling arrests, prison experiences, and torture. “I wore prison uniforms, I wore leg chains, I wore handcuffs as a political prisoner fighting for this democracy that is 25 years old,” he recounted.
Sani added that Nigeria’s democratic journey must be told truthfully, highlighting those who risked everything for freedom and contrasting them with those who only emerged when the system was already established.
The statement further sparks political discourse, especially as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has often praised the sacrifices of pro-democracy activists, raising questions about how El-Rufai and other politicians fit into that narrative.