Shehu Sani urges lawmakers to rise above partisan politics

Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has called on members of the 10th National Assembly to put aside partisan politics and demonstrate true leadership by taking courageous stands on pressing national matters.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) leader stressed that history will not remember lawmakers for the number of bills they pass or routine oversight duties performed, but for the principles they uphold and the difficult positions they defend during their tenure.

Sani made the call on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Abuja while speaking at the National Assembly Open Week, a public engagement initiative created to bridge the gap between citizens and the legislature.

The programme aims to provide Nigerians the chance to interact directly with their representatives and gain insight into the lawmaking and oversight processes.

He described the Open Week as a refreshing and essential democratic tool.

“This idea is novel because it gives Nigerians the opportunity to meet with their elected representatives, interact with them and have a first-hand experience of what is happening in the Nigerian parliament.

“It is democracy at work. It allows the people to see how their laws are made and how an important arm of government carries out its oversight responsibilities,” Sani said.

He also reminded the legislators of the lasting legacy attached to their roles.

“We will not be remembered by the laws we passed. We will not be remembered by the oversight functions we performed. We will not even be remembered simply because we won elections and served here.

“We will be remembered for the positions we took on matters of controversy and issues that were sensitive to our nation.”

He added that parliamentarians should be conscious of how future generations will judge them.

“There are thousands who served before us and have left, and there will be many more after us. We will not always be here, but our children and future generations will remember us by the mark we made in this parliament,” he said.

On the other hands, Sani urged Nigerians to remain patriotic and actively protect the nation’s image abroad.

He noted that the country’s contributions to global peace and stability are frequently underappreciated.

“Nigeria is a great country, and we should be proud of it. Whenever people try to criminalise our country, you must stand tall and defend the dignity and integrity of Nigeria,” he said.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​