Sen Shehu Sani bags Pan African award, says he remains undeterred on legitimate course
//Editor, Abuja, Nigeria Capital//
At the investiture ceremony in Abuja, Dr. Charles Benedict, leader of the organisers of the event went down memory lane to Sani’s days in Kaduna Polytechnic where the young Sani had his stinch with student union activism as social director of Kaduna State Students Union and from where Sani plunged into national limelight as anactivist.
Sani was introduced into Campaign for Democracy CD, Nigeria’s umbrella pro-democracy group by activists like Femi Falana and Beko Ransome-Kuti and later served as Northern coordinator and national vice chairman of the group.
He was detained by the Military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida for advocating the revitalization of the results of the June 12,1993 presidential electionwon by the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola.
He was charged for sedition and during the regime of General Sani Abacha, he was implicated in the 1995 phantom coup and subsequently jailed for life but later commuted to 15 years where he served with the likes of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Col. Lawan Gwadabe (rtd), Chris Anyanwu and other journalists.
Sani’s changes were accessory to the fact of treason and managing and unlawful civil society organization and served in various prisons such as Kirikiri, Lagos, Kaduna, Port-Harcourt, Enugu and Aba.
Senator Sani’s concern for the poor and less privileged and his stand for human rights, justice ,especially during the dark days of Kaduna religious riots earned him this prestigious award.
In his response, Senator Sani vowed to remain focused and undeterred in his resolve to be the voice for the voiceless and a beckon of hope for the underprivileged.