Dare Babalola
Political commentator and academic Farooq Kperogi has said he could find himself on opposing sides of national issues with former Kaduna Central senator Shehu Sani if the ex-lawmaker wins the 2027 general election and returns to the Senate.
Kperogi made the remarks on Tuesday while congratulating Sani on clinching the All Progressives Congress senatorial ticket for Kaduna Central, describing his victory at the primary as one that has strengthened his chances ahead of the next election.
In his message on Facebook, Kperogi noted that despite their decades-long friendship and comradeship, political realities and differing convictions on national matters could place both men on opposite sides of public debates if Sani returns to the National Assembly.
“Should you win in 2027, which seems more likely than not, you and I, although friends and brothers for decades, would be on opposite sides on national issues and might exchange some good old ‘friendly fires,’” Kperogi wrote.
The columnist, however, stressed that such disagreements would not affect their personal relationship, insisting that Sani would continue to be regarded as a friend and brother regardless of political differences.
Kperogi also expressed confidence that Sani’s return to the Senate would revive public interest in the upper legislative chamber, praising the former lawmaker’s outspoken nature, humour and style of engagement during his previous tenure in office.
According to him, the Senate would become more engaging and “worth paying attention to again” because of Sani’s “creative humor and corruscating wit.”
He further described the former senator as one of the most competent voices Kaduna Central could send to the National Assembly, noting that his activism background would likely prevent him from becoming excessively loyal to the ruling party despite now being a member of the APC.
Kperogi added that some of Sani’s friends and associates would continue to remind him of the values he was known for whenever they felt he was straying too far from his activist roots.
“When we think you have strayed too far from what we know you for, some of us your friends will always nudge you to remember that there’s life after power,” he stated.
Sani recently emerged as the APC senatorial candidate for Kaduna Central, setting the stage for a possible return to the Senate in the 2027 general election.
