The Presidency has dismissed claims by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has neglected the northern region of Nigeria.
The Presidency asserted that several critical projects and programs are currently underway in the North.
Kwankwaso, during a constitutional amendment dialogue in Kano on Thursday, had warned that national resources are increasingly skewed towards the southern region, exacerbating poverty and insecurity in the North.
Read Also: Tinubu Government Neglects The North, Develops Southern Nigeria – Kwankwaso
He cited the deplorable condition of federal roads in northern states, recounting a recent “hellish” road trip from Abuja to Kano via Kaduna due to a canceled flight.
Responding via his X handle on Friday, Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, directly challenged Kwankwaso’s assertions.
Dare stated, “The claim that Northern Nigeria has been left behind is incorrect.
The Tinubu administration has initiated and continued several landmark projects in the North, covering roads, agriculture, healthcare, and energy.”
To support the government’s commitment, Dare outlined numerous ongoing projects across northern states, including:
- Infrastructure: The Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Expressway, the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, and major road projects like Kano–Kongolam Road, Kaduna–Jos Road, the Kano–Maiduguri Dual Carriageway, and rehabilitation in Borno and Adamawa states.
- Energy: The 614 km Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline, the Gwagwalada Power Plant, and planned solar projects in Kaduna.
- Agriculture: A $158.15 million Agriculture Value Chain program spanning nine Northern states, the Kolmani Integrated Development Project in Bauchi and Gombe, and the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project aimed at restoring one million hectares of degraded land.
- Healthcare: Expansions and new investments at facilities such as Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria; University of Jos Teaching Hospital; and Federal Medical Centre, Nguru, alongside the revitalization of approximately 1,000 primary health centers in the North.
- Rail: The Kaduna–Kano Rail Line, the Kano–Maradi Rail Line, and the Abuja Metro rehabilitation.
Dare emphatically concluded, “Northern Nigeria is not left behind. From road networks to gas pipelines, agriculture, health, and rail, this administration has the North well covered.”
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