Babachir Lawal, Kwankwaso Accuse Tinubu Administration of Marginalising Northern Nigeria
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has openly criticized the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing it of marginalising northern Nigeria in key areas of governance and national development. He expressed strong support for former Kano State Governor and presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who made similar allegations earlier in the week.
Speaking in a widely reported statement, Lawal argued that federal projects under the current administration are skewed in favor of the South, while the North continues to suffer neglect. “Every discerning northerner knows that the region is being sidelined,” he stated. “There are no visible federal infrastructure projects going on in the North. Maybe in their imagination but we don’t see it.”
His remarks came shortly after Senator Kwankwaso criticized the Tinubu-led federal government for what he described as lopsided resource allocation and development focus. Citing his own experience while traveling from Abuja to Kano, Kwankwaso decried the deplorable state of major roads and accused the government of neglecting the North in its infrastructure agenda.
Kwankwaso emphasized that the current distribution of federal projects fails to reflect fairness or national equity. “Development is heavily concentrated in the South, while the North remains largely abandoned,” he noted.
The accusations have drawn support from various northern groups and political stakeholders who echo concerns of exclusion and uneven national development. Many pointed to the ongoing road infrastructure crisis in northern corridors such as the Abuja-Kano and Sokoto-Calabar highways.
However, the Presidency has denied any form of regional bias. Speaking in an interview on Channels Television, President Tinubu’s aide on special duties, Hakeem Abdulaziz, refuted the allegations, insisting that project allocations are driven by national interest and economic impact, not regional favoritism.
According to Abdulaziz, the federal government is currently executing several infrastructure projects across all geopolitical zones, including significant ones in the North. “The administration is committed to inclusive development. The projects are not designed to benefit one part of the country at the expense of another,” he stated.
Despite the government’s defense, the rising concerns underscore growing political tension between the presidency and influential northern leaders. Analysts say the remarks by Babachir Lawal and Kwankwaso could signal emerging political realignments ahead of future elections.
As debates intensify over national unity and development equity, northern stakeholders continue to demand a more balanced approach to governance that prioritizes infrastructure, job creation, and resource distribution across all regions of Nigeria.
