Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of sidelining northern Nigeria in the distribution of national resources and infrastructure development.
Speaking at the Kano State Stakeholders’ Dialogue on the 2025 Constitutional Amendment on Thursday, July 24, Kwankwaso decried what he described as the “deplorable state” of federal roads in the North, citing his own recent experience traveling from Abuja to Kano by road.
“Yesterday, I was meant to fly, but my airline rescheduled the flight from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., so I had to go by road. The journey from Abuja through Kaduna to Kano was horrible — the road is in very bad shape,” he said.
Kwankwaso alleged that while the federal government is investing heavily in new infrastructure projects in the South and East, the North continues to suffer neglect, with long-standing projects left incomplete.
“We support infrastructure development in every part of the country. In fact, I told myself I wished that road had been completed before the 2023 elections. I was the only candidate who travelled to every part of Nigeria, and I would have used that route,” he added.
“But a situation where the government channels national resources to one region while leaving others behind is unjust. This is the time for the federal government to show fairness and govern the entire nation, not just a part of it.”
On the issue of constitutional review, Kwankwaso called on legislators from Kano to close ranks and protect the state’s interests. He warned against the influence of wealthy individuals who he claimed have in the past swayed National Assembly members during constitutional amendments.
“We’ve witnessed cases where money was used to influence lawmakers, especially at the federal level, resulting in skewed distribution of resources,” he said.
He urged current lawmakers to remain independent and stand firm against external pressure.
“We know the wealthy are once again trying to take from the poor. No matter the political party, our legislators must remain focused and do what’s right for the people,” Kwankwaso emphasized.
