Shehu Sani Explains Why He Lost Senate Re-Election Bid in 2019

• A former Kaduna lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has explained the reason he lost his re-election in the 2019 poll
• According to Sani, he lost his senate re-election bid in 2019 for opposing former Governor Nasir El-Rufai's loan request
• Sani said he is vindicated because Governor Uba Sani said Kaduna state's finances and the economy have been strangulated by that loan

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 7 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international events

FCT, Abuja -

Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna Central senatorial district in the 8th assembly said he lost his re-election bid for opposing former Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

Sani said El-Rufai’s move to obtain a 340 million dollar foreign loan.

As reported by Vanguard, Sani stated this during an interview with Newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, March 9, 2025.

The former federal lawmaker said the state assembly members and many political figures attacked him for opposing El-Rufai’s loan request.

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The popular pro-democracy activist said he was satisfied with the role of opposing the controversial loan at that time.

“I was insistent on speaking truth to power, and that was why I lost my re-election bid in 2019. Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai was going for a 340 million dollar loan and we said ‘No’.

”Some of us told him that such a venture would impact negatively on our people, but he went ahead and did that, while he perceived us as his political enemies.

”This political battle with El-Rufai affected several other politicians, resulting in our leaving the party en masse.

“My own very case was that I stood up to the governor and I paid the price by losing my seat.”

Legit.ng earlier reported that Sani endorsed Kaduna state governor Uba Sani for a second term in office ahead of the 2027 election.

In a trending interview, the former Kaduna lawmaker explained why Governor Sani deserves a second term in 2027.

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Shehu Sani made this move a few weeks after he dumped the PDP for the ruling APC in Kaduna state.

Legit.ng also reported that Sani said El Rufai "is like a man who is turned down by a woman and resorted to speaking ill of her".

Sani said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was El Rufai's angel until when the former Kaduna state governor was “evicted from the house”.

The erstwhile federal lawmaker slammed El-Rufai for allegedly 'telling the world that Tinubu is a demon'.

2027: Why North can’t hold Tinubu to ransom

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Sani lambasted northerners threatening President Tinubu's re-election over tax reforms .

The former lawmaker said the north had no moral right to threaten Tinubu with re-election when they were quiet during former president Muhammadu Buhari's administration.

Sani said the north should reorganise itself and see how the northerners in Tinubu’s government can contribute to its development

Source: Legit.ng