THE Presidency has firmly rejected claims by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), that Northern Nigeria is being sidelined under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare made available to News Point Nigeria, said the allegations were baseless and inaccurate, asserting that the North remains a top priority for the federal government.
“The claim that Northern Nigeria has been left behind is incorrect,” Dare stated. “The Tinubu administration has initiated and is continuing several landmark projects in the region across key sectors roads, energy, healthcare, and agriculture.”
To support the claim, the Presidency listed major infrastructure projects underway in the North, including:
Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Expressway
Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway
Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline
Kano–Kongolam Road
Kaduna–Jos Road
Kano–Maiduguri Dual Carriageway
Dare further noted ongoing rehabilitation of key corridors in Borno and Adamawa states, as well as a suite of rail projects, including:
Kaduna–Kano Rail Line
Kano–Maradi Rail Line
Abuja Metro rehabilitation
He also cited the $158.15 million Agricultural Value Chain Development Programme across nine northern states and the Kolmani Integrated Development Project in Bauchi and Gombe as indicators of commitment to northern development.
Other initiatives mentioned include:
ACReSAL Project to restore 1 million hectares of degraded land
Revitalisation of 1,000 primary healthcare centres
Ongoing works at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (Zaria), University of Jos Teaching Hospital, and Federal Medical Centre (Nguru)
Energy projects like the Gwagwalada Power Plant and planned solar power initiatives in Kaduna
“From road networks to gas pipelines, agriculture, health, and rail, this administration has the North well covered,” Dare emphasized.
The presidency’s rebuttal comes a day after Senator Kwankwaso alleged that the Tinubu administration was diverting national resources disproportionately to the South, worsening poverty and insecurity in the North.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ dialogue on the 2025 constitutional amendment in Kano, Kwankwaso lamented the poor condition of federal roads, citing a harrowing experience traveling from Abuja to Kano due to a cancelled flight.
“That road is a death trap. What we’re seeing is not just neglect, it’s abandonment,” he said.
While Kwankwaso’s remarks have sparked debate in political circles, the Presidency’s sharp response suggests growing sensitivity to regional criticisms, especially as the 2027 election cycle approaches.
The Tinubu administration insists that its development blueprint is national in scope, and has vowed to maintain regional equity in project allocation and service delivery.