Kaduna CAN backs Shehu Sani for 2027, asks Uba Sani to restore removed monarchs

Christian leaders in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State have thrown their weight behind Senator Shehu Sani's bid to return to the Senate in 2027, and used the occasion to press the state government on two long-standing grievances.

The Chikun chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) made the call on Thursday when Sani, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Kaduna Central, met 48 of its zonal leaders at Sabo Tasha, the council headquarters. He came to ask for their prayers and support.

The CAN chairman asked Sani to lean on his ties with Governor Uba Sani to bring back traditional rulers whose stools were removed during the tenure of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai. Restoring them, he argued, would heal old wounds in the affected communities and, in his view, win the ruling party more votes in 2027.

The association also wants the Sa Gbagyi traditional stool raised to first-class status. Chikun hosts part of the Kaduna metropolis, the chairman noted, and its traditional institution should reflect that standing.

Appointments and religion

Beyond the monarchy question, the Christian leaders complained that Chikun has no commissioner in the state cabinet and asked for a bigger share of political appointments in the next dispensation, saying the area has capable professionals ready to serve.

The chairman described Sani's visit as significant, saying he was the first politician to come to the Christian community for this kind of conversation. He also pushed back at any suggestion that the APC belongs to one faith. “The APC is for everybody. It should not be seen as a party belonging to one religion,” he said.

Sani, for his part, urged pastors not to let ethnicity or religion decide how they vote, and to take an active part in politics rather than leave the field to politicians. He said he came to build bridges between faith communities.

He also challenged Nigerians to be consistent in condemning violence, arguing that the value of a life should not depend on the victim's religion or ethnic group. Opposition to President Bola Tinubu's government, he said, should rest on an honest look at its policies rather than on faith or origin, and he asked critics to account for their own records in office.

The meeting closed with prayers led by Bishop Joe Yari.

What happens next: The calls on Governor Uba Sani over the removed traditional rulers and the Chikun cabinet slot are appeals, not decisions. Whether he acts on them will be watched closely ahead of the 2027 elections.