Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has extended warm felicitations to former Senate President Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan on his 66th birthday, describing him as a “consummate statesman, scholar, and patriot” whose contributions have profoundly shaped Nigeria’s democratic landscape.
In a heartfelt message shared on social media on Sunday, Governor Uba Sani reflected on Lawan’s remarkable career, particularly his leadership as President of the 9th Senate from 2019 to 2023. He praised Lawan as a “democrat par excellence” and a “calm yet courageous leader” who transformed the National Assembly into an institution that “works for Nigeria” through a focused legislative agenda emphasizing cohesion, purpose, and alignment with national priorities.
Governor Uba Sani highlighted Lawan’s inclusive approach to leadership, noting how it empowered even first-term senators like himself. “I remain personally grateful for his balanced disposition which afforded me, even as a first-term Senator, the opportunity to chair a sensitive committee and to sponsor a number of bills that have since been signed into law,” Sani stated. He specifically commended the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020, sponsored under Lawan’s tenure, as a pivotal reform that bolstered financial stability, fostered fintech innovation, and improved credit access for businesses and entrepreneurs.
The governor also credited Lawan with restoring Nigeria’s budget cycle to the January-December framework, a move that promoted fiscal discipline, enhanced budget implementation, boosted investor confidence, and strengthened legislative oversight. According to Sani, this reform ensured greater transparency and accountability, requiring government agencies to justify expenditures and deliver tangible results.
Under Lawan’s stewardship, the 9th Senate achieved breakthroughs on long-delayed legislations, including the Electoral Act 2022, the Petroleum Industry Act, the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), the Finance Acts, and the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Amendment Act.
These laws, Governor Uba Sani emphasized, have reshaped Nigeria’s governance, electoral integrity, and economic framework.
Beyond his legislative accomplishments, Governor Uba Sani portrayed Lawan as a “charismatic and transformational leader” and a dedicated supporter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. “As he turns 66, I wish Distinguished Senator Ahmed Lawan continued good health, renewed strength, and fulfillment,” Sani concluded, celebrating a legacy that “will endure in the annals of Nigeria’s democracy.”
Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, who holds the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), served as Senate President during a period marked by significant political and economic reforms. His birthday message from Governor Sani underscores the cross-party admiration for Lawan’s role in advancing Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
