Kaduna Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Sadiq Mamman-Lagos
Kaduna State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Sadiq Mamman-Lagos, has urged Northern politicians agitating for a change of government in 2027 to allow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to complete his constitutional tenure.
Mamman-Lagos said it was the turn of the South to occupy the presidency, urging Northerners to respect the political understanding that paved the way for Tinubu’s emergence as president.
Speaking in an interview in kaduna , the commissioner said Northern leaders should exercise patience and wait for the appropriate time to produce another presidential candidate, rather than overheating the polity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He recalled the political relationship between Tinubu and former President Muhammadu Buhari, saying Tinubu supported Buhari’s presidential ambition despite his previous unsuccessful attempts.
According to him, Tinubu subsequently played a significant role in building the political structure that eventually produced Buhari as president, stressing that such political understanding should be respected.
Mamman-Lagos also dismissed the growing activities of opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress (ADC), saying they lacked the grassroots structure required to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State.
He said electoral victories were not determined by social media popularity or the size of crowds at political rallies, but by a candidate’s record, organisation and ability to connect with voters at the grassroots.
The commissioner particularly highlighted the role of women in elections, saying many rural women who constitute a significant voting bloc are not active on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
He urged politicians to move beyond social media campaigns and engage directly with communities, saying voters should be presented with clear evidence of what candidates had achieved in public office.
Mamman-Lagos expressed confidence that Governor Uba Sani would win a second term in Kaduna State, citing the administration’s interventions in infrastructure, healthcare, education, sanitation and youth development.
He described Southern Kaduna as a critical constituency in the 2027 election, saying the region had benefited from greater political inclusion and development interventions under the present administration.
The commissioner listed road construction, renovation of schools and healthcare facilities, sanitation programmes and youth empowerment initiatives among the achievements of the administration.
He said his ministry had also created employment opportunities through environmental sanitation and sports programmes, including the engagement of 7 of people in sanitation activities and the establishment of a football team to develop young talents.
Mamman-Lagos challenged opposition politicians aspiring to govern Kaduna to publish their records and demonstrate what they had contributed to the state and their communities.
He said voters should judge political candidates by their capacity, experience, wisdom and practical achievements rather than academic qualifications or proficiency in English.
The commissioner also defended the administration’s relationship with non-indigenes, saying Kaduna had remained a cosmopolitan state that accommodated people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds.
He said Governor Uba Sani’s exposure and experience had enabled him to build bridges across ethnic and religious divides, which he described as essential to sustaining peace and unity in the state.
Mamman-Lagos urged Kaduna residents to remain peaceful and law-abiding despite the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians, saying the challenges inherited by the present administration could not be resolved overnight.
He maintained that the APC would campaign for Governor Uba Sani’s re-election based on the administration’s record of performance.
