Nigerian politicians are known for making false claims. In fact, they are quick to make allegations of marginalisation, especially when elections are in the offing. Most times, those allegations are meant to hoodwink or deceive gullible Nigerians. The allegations are propelled by a hidden agenda by politicians masquerading as champions of a state, or a region in order to curry the people’s support ahead of an election.
The recent claim by a former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has marginalised the North in federal road infrastructure projects should be seen from this prism. Senator Kwankwaso himself knows that the allegation is absolutely false, misleading, and self-serving. The claim lacks fact and substance.
Political leaders should not, for political expediency, make inflammatory and false statements capable of undermining the nation’s fragile unity.
Political observers believe there is a battle going on right now between politicians in the north to inherit the so-called 12 million Buhari Votes. Former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away, is believed to have a dedicated 12 million voters who cast their ballots for him in all the elections he contested. Now that he is no more, some politicians are now posing as defenders of northern interests in order to inherit the elusive votes.
Well, do the 12 million Buhari Votes still exist? The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) secured over 5.5 million votes in the 2023 presidential election in which the late former President Buhari participated. This position is not to diminish the crucial role the northern votes played in securing victory for President Tinubu. In fact, he got more votes from the north than the south. That’s why it is unfathomable for one to think that the President would contemplate neglecting the region.
There is nothing wrong in defending the interest of one’s region. But you must do so with facts and figures and in a manner that is devoid of creating tensions and disunity in the country. President Bola Tinubu is a nationalist who spent a number of years building political bridges across the country. It is ridiculous to accuse him of marginalising any region. President Tinubu remains firmly committed to developing every part of the country with fairness, equity, and the fear of God.
The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has presented incontrovertible facts and figures to back up this claim and has challenged anyone with contrary facts regarding the road projects to present them publicly. There are currently four ongoing legacy projects of the Tinubu administration. They are the 750km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, with 175km under construction; 1,068km Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, with 378km ongoing in the North; 465km Trans-Sahara Highway, with 59km under construction in Ebonyi State; and Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe Road, measuring 439km and currently undergoing redesign to rigid pavement.
The Sokoto- Badagry Superhighway passes through Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun and terminates in Lagos. Four of these states are in the northern region.
Out of the total length of these legacy projects, the North accounts for 52 percent, while the South has 48 percent. Within the segments already under construction, the North has 756km ongoing, compared to 409km in the South. Kebbi State alone has 316km under construction and Sokoto has 240km ongoing. In contrast, Lagos has just 220km.
According to the Minister of Works, the mere mention of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway should not make one ignore the massive work ongoing in the North. Umahi also cited the 275km dualised Sokoto-Gusau-Funtua-Zaria road, part of a 750km corridor being handled by four contractors at N824 billion. There is also the 700km Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road, valued at N764 billion.
Other key Northern projects, according to the Minister, include the 256km BUA Tax Credit road spanning Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano States; 156km Zaria-Hunkuyi road; 49km Kano Northern Bypass; 110km Kano-Maiduguri Section V; and various Dangote Tax Credit roads in Borno State. Under the Tax Credit Scheme, the money (tax) that should have been paid to the Federal Government is deployed by corporate bodies to construct roads chosen by them.
Out of the inherited Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) tax credit projects, the North has 53 percent, while the South has 47 percent. Of these, the South East receives only 4 percent and the South West 5 percent. Yet President Tinubu did not complain, and has continued to fund them.
Additional projects in the North include the 76km Malando road in Kebbi; 250km Benue to 9th Mile road; and 86km Lokoja-Okene dualisation project.
In Southern Nigeria, there are also several completed and ongoing projects, which include the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Oyo-Ogbomoso-Ilorin road, and critical repairs on the Third Mainland, Eko, and Carter bridges.
In the South East, the Enugu-Onitsha road (107km) is being funded by the MTN Tax Credit Scheme, with an additional 72km stretch undertaken by CBC The Enugu-Abakaliki road and access roads to the Second Niger Bridge are also under construction, along with the 61km Lokpanta-Enugu road.
In the South South, ongoing projects include the Eleme-Onne road, Eket Bypass, East-West Road Section 2, Nembe-Brass road, and Bodo-Bonny road by Julius Berger.
President Tinubu is from the South West, and the Works Minister says he is under pressure from some people in that region due to the limited funding challenge of major roads like Ibadan-Oyo, Ibadan-Ile Ife-Ilesa, and Ore-Sagamu. In the words of Senator Umahi: “The Carter Bridge is so deformed it needs to be demolished. The Third Mainland Bridge is closed to heavy trucks due to underwater defects.”
Maybe the President’s region should also accuse him of marginalising it in terms of road projects. The Federal Government has promised to continue to fund critical projects irrespective of region because they are all part of the nation’s economic corridor
. Garba is the Chairman of the Northern Youths for Equity and Justice.