SALIHU Tanko Yakasai, an ex-aide to Former APC National Chairman and Ex-Kano Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has accused President Bola Tinubu of prioritising Lagos State in the distribution of federal projects, appointments, and resources to the detriment of other regions, including the North.
News Point Nigeria reports that in a strongly worded Facebook post titled “Emi Lokan or Lagos Lokan?”, Yakasai questioned President Bola Tinubu’s national leadership credentials, alleging that the administration has shown disproportionate favour to Lagos State within just two years in office.
“While it’s understandable that states that voted for a president might get some preference, once elected, the president becomes a national leader not just a Lagos champion,” Yakasai wrote.
He cited over ten multi-trillion naira projects either approved or awarded by the Tinubu administration for Lagos alone, including:
Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway – ₦15 trillion
Lagos-Ibadan Expressway – ₦196 billion
7th Axial Road – $651 million (approx. ₦1.2 trillion)
Murtala Muhammed International Airport upgrade – ₦712 billion
Airport security & fencing – ₦50 billion
Lagos-Shagamu Road – ₦11 billion
Lekki-Epe Service Lane – ₦158 billion
Lagos-Badagry to Sokoto Highway – ₦1.6 trillion
Proposed Lagos Light Rail loan – $2 billion (approx. ₦3.2 trillion)
“Add these to other initiatives like the University of Lagos power project and Renewed Hope City, and it’s clear that trillions are flowing into Lagos alone,” he said. “Meanwhile, my own state, Kano, can hardly boast of a single tangible federal project beyond audio approvals.”
Yakasai expressed concern that even other states within Tinubu’s South West region are being sidelined in favour of Lagos. “This goes beyond ‘Emi Lokan’, it’s now looking like Lagos Lokan. The pattern is disturbing,” he said.
He added: “Any honest Lagosian with a conscience would agree that this level of favoritism is unprecedented in Nigeria’s history.”
Yakasai’s comments echo growing sentiments from northern leaders, including 2023 NNPP presidential candidate Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), who have accused the federal government of sidelining the North.
The presidency swiftly denied those allegations, but voices like Yakasai’s continue to call for more balanced governance.
In closing, Yakasai said, “If this is just the first two years, what should Nigerians expect by 2031? Equity, fairness and justice must not be sacrificed on the altar of loyalty to one city or region.”
Despite the presidency’s defense, public criticism over lopsided federal allocations remains a sensitive and growing concern across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.