By Umar Faruk Birnin Kebbi
A heated exchange has erupted between Senator Bala Ibn Na'Allah and Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State over the governor's reported call for public office holders in the North to apologize for their past actions. Senator Na'Allah, a prominent Northern statesman and former federal lawmaker, has described the governor's remarks as "regrettable" and has refused to apologize, citing his impeccable service record.
In a press statement released in Abuja on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, Senator Na'Allah said, "I have had the rare privilege of serving as a two-term member of the House of Representatives and a two-term member of the Senate. During these years, I rendered my service to Nigeria and by extension, the North with honesty, sincerity, and an unwavering commitment to inclusiveness."
The senator recalled that one of his terms in the Senate was served alongside Senator Uba Sani, now Governor of Kaduna State, and maintained that his record remains devoid of any action or decision that could be considered injurious to Northern interests. "I therefore see no reason to offer an apology to Nigeria or to any part of it," he stated firmly.
Senator Na'Allah urged Governor Sani to be specific about who should apologize and for what precise actions. "If, after all the sacrifices I have made and the challenges I have faced in the course of my public service, Senator Uba Sani still believes that the North is entitled to an apology, I would respectfully request that he be specific in stating who should apologize and for what precise actions."
The senator also expressed concern about leadership in the North, warning that the region will continue to regress if merit does not guide the selection of leadership. "As long as merit does not guide our selection of leadership, the region will continue to regress, and the complex challenges confronting the North will only deepen and become more difficult to resolve," he warned.
Senator Na'Allah's comments have sparked reactions from political observers and Northern stakeholders, many of whom see his response as a call for introspection rather than confrontation.
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Politics