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Presidency Lists 43 Projects in Northern Nigeria to Counter Kwankwaso’s Neglect Claims
Sunday Dare, a spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu, has fired back at former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso over accusations that the federal government has neglected northern Nigeria. In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Dare dismissed the claims as inaccurate and misinformed.
“SENATOR KWANKWASO. YOU ARE WRONG. NORTH NOT NEGLECTED,” Dare declared in capital letters. “PRESIDENT TINUBU HAS THE NORTH COVERED. NORTHERN NIGERIA NOT LEFT BEHIND.
Kwankwaso, who ran for president under the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in 2023, had alleged that mismanagement of national resources, particularly under the current administration, was deepening poverty and insecurity in the North. Speaking on Thursday, he accused the federal government of concentrating resources in one part of the country while overlooking others.
But Dare, a former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, published a detailed list of over 40 federal initiatives and infrastructure projects currently underway in northern Nigeria to counter Kwankwaso’s remarks.
Among them, he highlighted key road constructions such as the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano expressway, Sokoto–Badagry expressway, and Sokoto–Zamfara–Katsina corridor.
In agriculture, Dare pointed to the $158.15 million Value Chain North (VCN) programme across nine states, the Kolmani Integrated Development Project in Bauchi and Gombe, and the World Bank–funded ACReSAL project focused on climate resilience.
“Large-scale irrigation development through the Kano River Project was commissioned in 2023 and remains operational,” he noted.
Dare also outlined major health investments, including revitalisation and expansion works at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Zaria, Jos University Teaching Hospital, and more than 1,000 primary healthcare centres in various northern states.
In the energy sector, Dare said projects like the 614-kilometer Ajaokuta, Kaduna, Kano gas pipeline, the Gwagwalada Power Plant, and solar initiatives in Kaduna have positioned the region as a growing energy hub.
For transport, he listed the Kaduna–Kano and Kano–Maradi rail projects, as well as the N100 billion budget for the Kaduna Light Rail system and the rehabilitation of Abuja’s metro line.
“All of these in only two years by President Tinubu,” Dare wrote, defending the administration’s record and challenging Kwankwaso’s assessment.
He also cited regional integration efforts like the Trans-Sahara trade corridor, the Great Green Wall initiative, and ongoing work by the erosion control agency (NEWMAP).
Dare’s response underscores the Tinubu administration’s pushback against criticism that it has ignored northern interests. With increasing scrutiny of federal spending and regional equity, the exchange reflects deeper tensions over development priorities in Nigeria.
