The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has strongly rebutted claims by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso alleging that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is marginalising the North in road infrastructure development. Umahi described Kwankwaso’s comments as “misleading, divisive, and self-serving,” aimed at deceiving the northern populace and undermining the unity of Nigeria.
In a detailed statement issued on Friday, Umahi accused Kwankwaso of engaging in political desperation, asserting that his attempt to mimic the legacy of the late President Muhammadu Buhari is based on “deceit and division.” The Minister said the Tinubu administration remains resolutely committed to developing all six geopolitical zones with fairness, equity, and transparency.
“Senator Kwankwaso’s statement is not only unfair to Mr. President but also an affront to the unity of our country,” Umahi said.
Fact-Check: Ongoing Road Projects Reveal Northern Advantage
Highlighting the extensive work being done in the North, Umahi said the four legacy projects under President Tinubu favour the North by a 52% to 48% margin in kilometre terms. Notably, the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, spanning 1,068 km, currently has 378 km of ongoing work within Kebbi and Sokoto States alone — significantly more than the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in the South.
Among other projects, the Trans-Sahara route, Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe road, and a redesigned Sokoto-Badagry corridor further demonstrate the administration’s commitment to Northern infrastructure. “If we go by the ongoing three-lane projects, the North has 756 km while the South has 409 km,” Umahi emphasized.
He queried why critics continually fixate on the Lagos-Calabar highway while ignoring massive works underway across the North.
Major Northern Projects Worth Over ₦3 Trillion in Progress
Umahi went further to list over a dozen multi-billion-naira road projects currently being executed across the North. These include:
The ₦824 billion Sokoto-Zamfara-Katsina-Kaduna dual carriageway,
The ₦764 billion Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway,
The 512 km BUA Tax Credit road spanning Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano,
The 500 km Benue–9th Mile project valued at $958 million,
Ongoing works on the Borno Ring Road, Kano Northern Bypass, and several others.
He stressed that despite security challenges, work is actively ongoing across these corridors, and many of the projects were inherited from the previous administration but revived and funded by President Tinubu.
Southern Projects Also Underway but Not Disproportionately
In contrast to Kwankwaso’s assertions, Umahi also detailed ongoing projects in the South, including the ₦146 billion Oyo–Ogbomoso–Ilorin road, bridge rehabilitations in Lagos, and the ₦202 billion MTN Tax Credit-funded Enugu-Onitsha road.
Notable South-South projects include the ₦200 billion Bodo-Bonny road, ₦156 billion Eleme-Onne road, and ₦186 billion East-West Road section 2. Umahi emphasized that these works are within vital economic corridors and are crucial to national commerce.
He acknowledged financial constraints hindering quick action on some major roads in the South-West, such as the structurally failing Third Mainland Bridge and Carter Bridge, while appealing for more funds to address them urgently.
Minister Dave Umahi Calls for Apology and National Unity
Dave Umahi concluded by accusing Kwankwaso of exploiting regional sentiments for political gain. He disclosed plans to publish a full list of completed, ongoing, and inherited road projects above ₦20 billion in each geopolitical zone for public scrutiny. He also revealed that under the ongoing NNPCL Tax Credit scheme, the North benefits from 53% of the projects, while the South accounts for 47% — with the South-East and South-West getting only 4% and 5%, respectively.
“Senator Kwankwaso owes Mr. President Tinubu an apology and a duty to withdraw his false statement,” Umahi said.
“President Tinubu is building this nation with fairness, equity, and the fear of God. Let no one deceive Nigerians for political purposes.”
The Works Minister invited Nigerians to disregard divisive narratives and focus on the verifiable progress being made across all regions of the country under President Tinubu’s administration.
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