Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has accused the Nigerian authorities and the general public of exercising double standards when responding to threats of ethnic, religious, and political violence, arguing that citizens from the South-East face harsher scrutiny compared to those from other regions. Sani asserted that inflammatory statements, including warnings of civil war originating from outside the South-East zone, are frequently dismissed or treated as ordinary occurrences by society. The former federal legislator expressed these views via a statement shared on his official X account on Sunday.
This criticism followed recent remarks by Rotimi Amaechi, a vice-presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who cautioned that a recent judicial ruling concerning the opposition party's leadership structure could ignite widespread civil unrest. Last Thursday, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja delivered a judgment nullifying the National Working Committee headed by former Senate President David Mark. The court's decision also voided the internal party procedures that had previously designated former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC flagbearer for the upcoming 2027 general elections.
During a media appearance on Mainland 98.3fm, Amaechi addressed the judicial development by warning, "It could cause a civil war if not properly managed." Reacting to the broadcast, Shehu Sani maintained that such provocative warnings ought not to be dismissed lightly. He expanded his critique to condemn what he termed a discriminatory, disproportionate, and selective approach to maintaining national peace, security, and justice within the country.
"If anyone from any part of the country makes a threat of political, religious or ethnic violence; if anyone can make a threat of civil war; as long as he is not from the South-East, the nation and the general public treat it as normal. This is how the country selectively, disproportionately, discriminately, and immorally acts on matters of peace, security, justice, and national unity," Sani stated.