Tinubu’s Team Fires Back at Kwankwaso Over Northern Neglect Claims

The Presidency on Friday, firmly rejected recent comments by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of sidelining Northern Nigeria.

Kwankwaso, speaking at a stakeholders’ dialogue on the 2025 constitutional review in Kano, alleged that the current government was heavily favouring the South in terms of federal resources and development efforts.

He warned that such imbalance was deepening the poverty rate and fueling insecurity across the North.

According to the former Kano State governor, many northern federal roads have deteriorated to shocking levels.

He cited a recent experience where a cancelled flight forced him to travel by road from Abuja to Kano through Kaduna, describing the journey as “hellish” due to the deplorable condition of the roads.

In a swift response, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Mr. Sunday Dare, dismissed Kwankwaso’s remarks as misleading and unfounded.

Using his official handle on X (formerly Twitter), Dare said the administration remains committed to equitable development across all regions, with massive ongoing investments in infrastructure and social services in the North.

He stated, “The notion that Northern Nigeria is being neglected is simply not true.

The Tinubu administration is currently executing several landmark projects across the Northern region spanning roads, health care, energy, agriculture, and education.”

Massive Infrastructure Projects Underway

To back up the Presidency’s position, Dare listed a number of strategic projects currently being implemented in the North.

These include the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Expressway, the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, and the ambitious Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline (AKK), designed to boost industrial activity and energy supply in the region.

In the agricultural sector, Dare mentioned the $158.15 million Agriculture Value Chain Development Programme spread across nine Northern states.

Also highlighted was the Kolmani Integrated Development Project, located between Bauchi and Gombe states, which includes oil exploration, refining, and energy production components.

He further pointed to the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) programme.

This is an environmental recovery initiative targeting the restoration of over one million hectares of degraded land, predominantly in the North.

Health and Education Interventions

Dare also noted significant investments in the healthcare sector.

He mentioned upgrades and expansions at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Zaria, University of Jos Teaching Hospital, and the Federal Medical Centre in Nguru, Yobe State.

The federal government, he said, is also revitalising over 1,000 primary health care centres in northern communities to improve access to basic healthcare.

He added that several federal tertiary institutions in the North have also benefitted from infrastructure funding and research grants, further strengthening the region’s human capital base.

Improved Road and Rail Connectivity

Beyond the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano route, the Presidency cited ongoing rehabilitation works on the Kano–Kongolam Road, the Kaduna–Jos corridor, and the Kano–Maiduguri Dual Carriageway, along with road interventions in Borno and Adamawa states.

Dare also referenced energy and rail infrastructure projects aimed at transforming the North’s economic landscape.

These include the 614-kilometre AKK Gas Pipeline, the Gwagwalada Independent Power Plant project, and planned solar power installations in Kaduna.

In terms of rail connectivity, the administration is continuing work on the Kaduna–Kano and Kano–Maradi rail lines.

Rehabilitation of the Abuja Metro Line is also ongoing, enhancing urban mobility for the FCT and surrounding communities.

Equitable Development Still a Priority – Presidency

Concluding his remarks, Dare reiterated that the Tinubu administration is focused on inclusive growth and national cohesion.

He stressed that the North is not being left out but is rather central to the government’s infrastructural and economic revival plans.

“From roads to power, agriculture to healthcare, and transportation to education, the evidence of this administration’s commitment to Northern Nigeria is clear and measurable,” he said.

The Presidency’s response is seen as an effort to counter growing political narratives suggesting regional marginalization.

This is especially as constitutional review debates and political alignments ahead of 2027 begin to gather steam.

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