Zailani, an ally of President Bola Tinubu, made the declaration on Saturday at Rigachikun Primary School, saying his decision followed persistent appeals from constituents, which he described as a “divine call to serve.”
“This is not about personal ambition. I am answering a divine call to serve my people and advance the interests of Kaduna Central,” he said.
The former speaker urged his supporters to embrace what he termed a “joint ticket,” backing his senatorial bid alongside Tinubu’s second-term ambition and Uba Sani’s re-election
“I urge you to support a joint ticket — from the presidency to the governorship and the Senate. Together, we can achieve more for our people,” he added.
Zailani hinged his ambition on the leadership of Tinubu, whom he described as his political mentor, commending the President’s economic policies, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy.
He claimed that the policy had significantly increased federal allocations to states, especially in the North, enabling governors to meet key obligations.
“Today, governors receive more funds than ever before. The president has done his part by making resources available. These allocations are enough to pay salaries, execute projects, and tackle insecurity,” he said.
He, however, challenged northern governors to translate the increased revenues into tangible development, stressing that the onus now lies on state governments to deliver.
“There is no excuse for failure. Leaders must justify these resources by improving the lives of the people. They must fear God and avoid mismanagement of public funds,” Zailani added.
The senatorial aspirant also called on the federal government to intervene in the rising cost of fertiliser, proposing a subsidy to bring down the price to about ₦15,000 per bag.
According to him, the high cost of agricultural inputs negatively impacted farmers during the last planting season and could threaten food production if not urgently addressed.
“Our farmers suffered greatly due to the high cost of fertiliser. The government must act now to support them and boost food production,” he said.
Zailani reaffirmed his loyalty to Tinubu and Uba Sani, dismissing speculations about any preferred candidate for the Senate seat and expressing confidence in their support for his aspiration.
“There is no anointed candidate. I am confident that the President and the governor will support my ambition,” he said.
Following the declaration, Zailani led a large crowd of supporters on a road show from Rigachikun to the Stadium Roundabout to mobilise grassroots support for his candidacy.
