The Presidency has dismissed claims by former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, that President Bola Tinubu has sidelined Northern Nigeria in the distribution of federal resources.
Kwankwaso, speaking at the Kano State Stakeholders’ Dialogue on the 2025 Constitutional Amendment on Thursday, alleged that the national budget appeared to favour one section of the country.
He said: “Let me advise the Federal Government on the distribution of federal resources. From the information available to us, it’s like most of the national budget is now tilting in one direction in this country.”
In response, Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Kwankwaso’s assertion is false.
“Senator Kwankwaso, you are wrong. North not neglected. President Tinubu has the North covered. Northern Nigeria not left behind,” Dare wrote.
Dare outlined 43 interventions by the Tinubu administration in Northern Nigeria, spanning sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, energy, rail, health, and climate resilience.
Projects highlighted include:
- Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway
- Sokoto-Badagry Expressway
- Sokoto-Zamfara-Katsina Expressway
- $158.15 million Agriculture Value Chain (VCN) Programme for nine Northern states
- Kolmani Integrated Development Project (Bauchi and Gombe States)
- Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), a six-year World Bank-funded initiative targeting restoration of 1 million hectares of degraded land
In the health sector, the adviser noted that the Tinubu government has revitalised over 1,000 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and upgraded numerous tertiary and secondary health facilities across the North.
Dare emphasized that President Tinubu remains committed to equitable development nationwide, and the North is a critical focus in his national agenda.
