The Presidency has dismissed claims by former Kano governor and NNPP presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is shortchanging Northern Nigeria.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on the 2025 constitutional amendment in Kano, Kwankwaso accused the federal government of funnelling resources to the South at the expense of the North.
He warned that the alleged imbalance was worsening poverty and insecurity in the region.
He also recounted a recent ordeal on federal roads after a delayed flight forced him to travel by road from Abuja to Kano via Kaduna, a trip he described as “hellish” due to the “terrible” state of infrastructure.
“This road has been under construction since the early APC days,” he said. “We are hearing of a new road from the South to the East, fine. But when one part of the country is abandoned, that’s not governance.”
In a swift reaction on X (formerly Twitter), the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, branded Kwankwaso’s remarks as misleading and out of touch with reality.
“The claim that Northern Nigeria has been left behind is incorrect,” Dare said. “President Tinubu’s administration has delivered and is actively pursuing major projects across the North.”
He listed key infrastructure efforts, including the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Expressway, Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline, and expansion of the Mararaba–Keffi Road.
Dare also highlighted a $158 million agricultural programme across nine Northern states, the Kolmani Integrated Oil Project, and the ACReSAL land restoration initiative.
On healthcare, he noted the upgrade of major institutions like Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, the University of Jos Teaching Hospital, and 1,000 revitalised primary health centres.
Other ongoing projects include the Kano–Kongolam Road, Kano–Maiduguri Dual Carriageway, the Gwagwalada Power Plant, and rail links like the Kaduna–Kano and Kano–Maradi lines.
“All of this achieved or in motion in just two years,” Dare added.
The exchange signals rising regional tension ahead of the 2025 constitutional review, with accusations of uneven development becoming a flashpoint in the national debate.
