Senator Shehu Sani, a human rights advocate and former federal lawmaker, has claimed that the notorious Italian mafia and Nigerian political godfathers, who impose political office holders against the will of the people, share many similarities.

The former Kaduna Central Senator expressed on his X account (previously Twitter) on Wednesday that trouble always arises when a subordinate decides to rebel against the unjust covenant between the god-father and the god-son out of conscience or newfound realities.

He wrote: “Most Nigerian Political Godfathers don’t anoint their successors on the ground of competence; they anoint and impose them on the ground of loyalty, loyalty not to the state but to lords of power.

“It’s a cultish relationship founded on state capture, absolute control of political power, mutual protection, and plunder of state resources.

“Trouble naturally erupts when the lackey, driven by conscience, overbearing influence or new realities, decides to revolt against the unconscionable covenant.

“Nigerian political godfathers have a lot in common with their Italian mafia counterparts.”