Minister of Works, David Umahi, has demanded an apology from former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, over his claim that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is prioritizing development in the South while neglecting the North
In a strongly worded statement shared on Saturday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Umahi described Kwankwaso’s remarks as “misleading” and accused him of attempting to deceive northerners for political gain.
“To my brother, Senator Kwankwaso, you owe President Tinubu an apology and should withdraw your statement using the facts I have provided for the sake of national unity,” Umahi said.
He urged Nigerians to disregard Kwankwaso’s statement, insisting that President Tinubu’s infrastructure agenda is driven by fairness, equity, and a commitment to developing all regions.
“I ask the good people of Nigeria to ignore Senator Kwankwaso’s misleading narrative. President Tinubu is committed to developing every part of the country equally,” he said.
Umahi further accused the former governor of using emotional manipulation in a bid to position himself as a successor to the legacy of the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I consider Senator Kwankwaso’s statement an act of desperation, part of a strategy by some who believe they can inherit Buhari’s legacy by stoking division and pretending to speak for the North,” he said.
To counter Kwankwaso’s claims, Umahi outlined several major infrastructure projects currently ongoing in the North. He cited the 1,068km Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway as an example, with 378km already under construction in Kebbi and Sokoto states.
He also mentioned the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe road (439km), which is being upgraded to a rigid pavement structure under President Tinubu’s directive.
According to Umahi, the North accounts for 52 percent of all work being done under the President’s four legacy projects, while the South accounts for 48 percent.
He criticized the focus on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, pointing out that although the Lagos section is receiving attention, northern states like Kebbi and Sokoto have larger portions under active construction.
“Kebbi alone has 316km by three lanes ongoing. Sokoto has 240km. Meanwhile, the Lagos section is only 220km. Yet, the focus is always on the South,” he said.
Umahi concluded by reaffirming that President Tinubu has been more generous with infrastructure investment in the North, especially the North-West, where Kwankwaso hails from.
“I say this with all sense of responsibility — the North has benefited more from road development under Tinubu than the South. The facts are clear,” he said.
Kwankwaso had made his claims during the Kano State Stakeholders’ Dialogue on the 2025 Constitutional Amendment, alleging that national resources are being disproportionately allocated.
He said: “From the information available to us, most of the national budget seems to be tilting in one direction. That’s part of the reason we have insecurity and poverty in the North, and if this continues, it will spread like a desert across the country.”
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