Umahi Demands Apology from Kwankwaso Over Allegations Against Tinubu

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has called on former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to apologise to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over allegations that the administration is marginalising Northern Nigeria in the distribution of infrastructure projects. Reacting to the former governor’s recent statement, Umahi described Kwankwaso’s claims as false, misleading, and politically motivated. He stated that contrary to the allegation, the North is receiving substantial attention in the federal government’s infrastructure agenda and, in fact, accounts for a larger share of the major ongoing road projects. Umahi explained that of the four major legacy road projects being executed by the Tinubu administration, the North represents approximately 52 percent of the total coverage, compared to 48 percent in the South. He cited the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway as an example, noting that 378 kilometres of the road pass through northern states, while the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway in the South accounts for 175 kilometres. He further highlighted that other significant projects are ongoing in the North, including the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano dual carriageway, and roads in Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Benue, and Kano states. He also mentioned tax credit-funded projects being handled by BUA Group across Jigawa, Kano, and Katsina. Umahi accused Kwankwaso of attempting to incite regional sentiment for political gain and challenged him to a public debate to present facts before Nigerians. He urged the former governor to retract his comments and issue a public apology to the President for what he described as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public. The Presidency also reacted to the statement, affirming that the North is not being left out of national development under the Tinubu administration. A statement from the Presidential Villa listed over 40 major federal projects in the North, including railway lines, road networks, energy pipelines, and health infrastructure, stressing that the administration remains committed to balanced development across all regions. Meanwhile, the pan-Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere condemned Kwankwaso’s comments, calling them divisive and unfounded. The group maintained that the North has benefited significantly from the federal government’s programmes and warned against making inflammatory statements that could threaten national unity. Kwankwaso had made the remarks during a recent event in Kano, accusing the Tinubu administration of favouring the South in project allocation. His comments have since generated strong reactions from both government officials and civil society groups.