The Presidency has dismissed allegations by former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is neglecting northern Nigeria in favour of infrastructure development in the South.
Kwankwaso, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), had slammed the federal government during a constitutional review dialogue in Kano on Thursday. He lamented the state of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway, calling the road “hell” and citing it as evidence of the North being sidelined.
“From Abuja to Kaduna to Kano was hell — a terrible, very bad road. Meanwhile, we are told there’s now a road from the South to the East,” he said, criticising the lack of attention to long-standing northern infrastructure.
But in a swift response on Friday, Presidential Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, refuted the claims in a post on X, insisting that President Tinubu is actively investing in the North across multiple sectors.
“The claim that Northern Nigeria has been left behind is incorrect,” Dare stated. “The Tinubu administration has initiated and sustained landmark projects in roads, agriculture, healthcare, energy, and transport across the North.”
He cited ongoing federal highway projects including:
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Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway
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Sokoto-Badagry Expressway
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Sokoto-Zamfara-Katsina Road
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Zaria-Funtua-Gusau-Sokoto Dual Carriageway
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Dikwa-Gamboru-Ngala Road
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Kaduna-Jos Road
In agriculture, Dare pointed to major interventions such as:
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The $158.15m Agricultural Value Chain Programme across nine northern states
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Kolmani Integrated Development Project in Bauchi and Gombe
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The ACReSAL climate resilience programme supported by the World Bank
Healthcare investments include upgrades to:
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Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria
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University of Jos Teaching Hospital
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Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina
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Over 1,000 primary healthcare centres rehabilitated across the region
Dare also listed significant rail and energy projects, including:
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Kaduna-Kano and Kano-Maradi Rail Lines
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Abuja Light Rail rehabilitation
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The ABIBA 50 MW solar power project in Kaduna
He stressed that in less than two years, Tinubu’s administration has laid the groundwork for long-term northern development, countering Kwankwaso’s claims of marginalisation.
“Development is not built on rhetoric but on strategic investment. President Tinubu is building a legacy of inclusive growth,” Dare added.
