Umahi attacks Kwankwaso over allegations of Northern marginalisation in Tinubu’s projects

Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, has fiercely criticised former Kano State governor and presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, for alleging that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is neglecting the North in its infrastructure development.

In a strongly worded statement issued Friday, Mr Umahi described Mr Kwankwaso’s claims as “absolutely false, misleading, and self-serving.” He said the remarks were aimed at deceiving Northerners and stirring unnecessary regional sentiments.

Mr Kwankwaso had earlier accused President Tinubu of concentrating federal road projects in the South while allegedly sidelining the North, especially the North-West region. The comment sparked reactions from the presidency, which dismissed it as “divisive and inaccurate.”

Mr Umahi, responding in detail, said contrary to Mr Kwankwaso’s claim, the North is in fact receiving more attention under the current administration’s road infrastructure push.

He outlined several ongoing projects in the North, noting that out of President Tinubu’s four flagship “legacy road projects,” 52 per cent are located in the North, with only 48 per cent in the South.

Among these key projects is the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, which spans over 1,000 kilometres, with more than 370 km of six-lane carriageway already under construction in Kebbi and Sokoto States. Other major projects in the North, according to Mr Umahi, include the dualisation of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway, the Sokoto-Zamfara-Katsina-Kaduna road, the Borno Ring Road, and several roads funded under the NNPCL Tax Credit Scheme.

The Minister said that 80 per cent of these projects were inherited from the Buhari administration but had remained largely unfunded until President Tinubu revived and funded them.

“In the ongoing NNPCL Tax Credit roads and bridges as inherited, the North has 53% while the South has 47%, out of which the South-East has only 4% and the South-West only 5%,” Mr Umahi noted. “Yet, Mr President has continued to fund these projects without bias.”

He also clarified that the often-criticised Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway — a signature project of the Tinubu administration — currently has only about 220 km of work ongoing in Lagos, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom States, compared to over 550 km of ongoing construction in the North under the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway alone.

Mr Umahi accused Mr Kwankwaso of attempting to position himself as a political heir to former President Muhammadu Buhari by inciting regional division.

“Trying to be like our late President Buhari cannot be done with deceit. Our younger generation must work for unity through honesty and hard work,” the Minister stated.

He also disclosed that he would soon publish a full list of all ongoing and completed road projects under the Tinubu administration valued at over ₦20 billion to further clarify the government’s commitment to equitable development across the six geopolitical zones.

In his concluding remarks, Mr Umahi demanded that Mr Kwankwaso retract his “misleading” comments and apologise to President Tinubu. “You owe our President, Tinubu, an apology and a duty to withdraw your statement using the information I have provided herein,” he said.

The Presidency had earlier dismissed Mr Kwankwaso’s remarks, saying President Tinubu’s development strategy is inclusive and anchored on national economic priorities rather than regional favouritism.

BELOW IS THE FULL STATEMENT BY MR UMAHI

STATEMENT OF SEN. KWANKWASO THAT THE NORTH IS MARGINALIZED ON ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT UNDER PRESIDENT TINUBU’S ADMINISTRATION, ABSOLUTELY FALSE, MISLEADING AND SELF-SERVING.

My attention as Honourable Minister of Works has been drawn to the unfortunate statement by His Excellency, Sen. Kwankwaso that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is developing more roads in the South than in the North.

2. I consider this statement as a grave misleading information made intentionally to deceive our brothers and sisters in the North and to pretend that he loves the North more than any other leader from the North. I consider Sen. Kwankwaso’s statement as statement made out of desperation and as part of his struggle with few others who believe that they can inherit the impeccable legacy of our dear late President Mohammadu Buhari, GCFR and that the only way available for them towards achieving same is to be divisive and pretentious. Trying to be like our late President Buhari cannot be a job of three decades and can not be done with deceit. I think our younger generation has such a chance and which must be worked for through hard work, honesty, transparency and commitment to the unity of our country , a legacy that our late President Buhari, GCFR achieved in all his life on earth. May God continue to bless his legacies and give him a peaceful rest, Amen

3. For the interest of all Nigerians, especially our dear brothers and sisters in the North, I wish to highlight just a few key ongoing projects in each of the six Geo-Political Zones.

4. The four legacy projects of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR:

a) Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which is 750 km: As of today, a total of 110 km is ongoing within Lagos State and 65 km within Cross River and Akwa Ibom States. The total ongoing is 175 km by 6 lanes or 350 km by 3 lanes in the South.

b) The Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, which is 1068km: As of today, we have 258 km ongoing at Kebbi section and 120 km ongoing at Sokoto section. Total ongoing is 378 km by 6 lanes or 756 km by 3 lanes in the North.

c) Trans Sahara road spanning through Cross River – Ebonyi – Benue – Kogi – Nasarawa – Abuja, which is 465km: 118 km by 3 lanes or 59 km by 6 lanes is ongoing in Ebonyi State – South.

d) Akwanga – Jos – Bauchi – Gombe road, which is 439km: Project is being redesigned from flexible pavement to rigid pavement for more durable pavement as directed by Mr. President and to conform to the other legacy projects. In the four legacy projects, the North has 52% and South 48%. Within the ongoing projects as of today, the South has 409 km by 3lanes and the North has 756km by 3 lanes . The facts are there. I wonder why people don’t talk about other legacy projects of Mr. President but will always dwell on Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. This road has only 220 km by 3 lanes in Lagos State that is ongoing now , crossriver and Akwaibom has 130km by 3 lanes that is ongoing whereas kebbi alone has 316 km by 3 lanes that is ongoing. Sokoto has 240 km by 3 lanes that is ongoing . I think Sen. Kwankwaso is not fair to Mr.President and the unity of our country

5. The following major projects are also ongoing in the North.

a) Sokoto – Zamfara – Katsina – Kaduna road: This is 275 km dualized (750 km), costing about ₦824 Billion. This project is being handled by CBC, Triacta, Setraco, and Mothercat. Projects are ongoing mostly on reinforced concrete pavement. Despite the insecurity within this corridor, work is ongoing.

b) Abuja – Kaduna – Kano road: 350 km dualized (700km) project is being constructed on concrete pavement with a total sum of ₦764 Billion with Infiouest Nig Ltd and 30% of the contract sum already paid and work is ongoing.

c) BUA Tax Credit road passing through Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano States: 256 km dualized (512 km). Project redesigned and constructed on rigid pavement.

d) 156 km of Zaria – Hunkuyi road is being constructed by mothercat Nig Ltd.

e) The Kano Northern Bypass: 49 km is being constructed by CCECC.

f) The 100.9 km dualized (201.8 km) Kano – Jigawa road is being constructed by Triacta.

g) The Bama and Dikwa roads (49+51= 100 km) by Dangote Tax Credit are ongoing in Borno State
h) The Borno Ring Road: 110 km is being constructed by CCECC.

i) The 76 km Malando road in Kebbi State is being constructed by Episolyn Nig Ltd.

j) The 250 km dualized (500 km) Benue to 9th Mile road costing $958 Million by China Harbour is ongoing.

k) The dualization of Lokoja – Okene 86km dualized (172km) by CGC is ongoing.

l) The sections 1 and 2 of Kaduna to Katsina roads by CCECC costing about ₦150 Billion is ongoing.

6. Major ongoing projects in the South:
a) Completion of Lagos – Ibadan 8.5 km costing ₦33 Billion by RCC.

b) completion of Lagos to Sagamu 12 km dualized (24 km) and flyovers by CBC costing

c) completion of Oyo – Ogbomoso to Ilorin Road costing ₦146 Billion by JRB

d) Repairs of Carter bridge, Third Mainland bridge, Eko bridge with total contract sum of about ₦120 Billion

e) In South East, we have:

i. Completion of Enugu – Onitsha road by MTN tax credit which is 107 km costing ₦202 Billion.

ii. Completion of Enugu – Onitsha road by CBC, which is 72 km costing ₦150 Billion.

iii. Enugu – Abakaliki 36 km road by reinforced global resources

iv) 2nd Niger bridge access road in Anambra State, 17.5 km dualized with many bridges and flyovers – ₦175Billion by CGC

Vii)the completion of 61km dualized of lokpanta in Imo state to Enugu state by CGC costing 100bn

f.) In South – South:

i. Completion of Eleme – Onne road project, which is 30 km with bridges and flyovers costing ₦156 Billion.

ii. Eket bypass road of 9.7 km dualized costing ₦76 Billion

iii. Completion of East West Road section 2 which is ₦186 Billion by Setraco

iv. Nembe Brass road costing ₦150 Billion.

v) completion of Lokoja to Benin road by four contractors costing about ₦167 Billion.

vi) 2nd Niger bridge access road in Delta 17 km dualized by CCECC costing ₦146 Billion.

Vii) completion of Bodo Bonny Road in Rivers State 35 km with 12 bridges by Julius Berger Nig Plc, costing 200bn

7. I have a duty in the coming week to publish all inherited projects and new projects that are either completed or ongoing in this present administration . I can say with all sense of responsibility that President Tinubu is a fair President. He has favoured the North in road development more than the South, especially North West, where Sen. Kwankwaso comes from. Apart from these four legacy projects, 80% of the above named ongoing projects were projects awarded by the past administration towards the end of that administration in 2023 but never took off effectively which President Tinubu decided to continue to fund towards completion. If he had abandoned them, same people will complain. I have been under pressure by some stakeholders for the construction of their major roads like the abandoned Ibadan – Oyo by Arab contractor , Ibadan – Ife – Ilesa, Ilesa – Akure – Benin and Ore – Sagamu road. I have been badly accused that I am only doing projects in the North, especially North West. Third Mainland bridge is being closed down to heavy trucks because of underwater structural defects. The Carter bridge is so deformed that it needs to be removed and reconstructed. These are the real major projects in South West which I have been appealing to Mr President to give me money to do those projects because the people of South West may think that I am doing nothing about the major projects in their zone. These projects are projects that are within major economic corridor between the South and the North and deserve attention. Again, these bridges, if allowed to further deteriorate, will lead to serious economic consequences for the nation. Mr President is not only fair in the completion of major inherited projects/ new projects, but they are all within the major economic corridor of our nation. I will publish all ongoing projects which are above 20 billion naira each next week . We still have many projects within the six geopolitical zones that are not listed here . In this circumstance, I don’t know where Sen Kwankwaso got his misinformation from.

8. It is unfortunate that the utterances of some of our political leaders are just intended to deceive Nigerians and gain political favour instead of making statements that will unite the country and move her forward

9. I will offer more explanation on this topic, and am ready to face a debate with anyone just to put the records straight.

10. Let me say that in the ongoing NNPCL Tax Credit roads and bridges as inherited, the North has 53% while the South has 47% out of which South East has only 4% and South West only 5%. The records are there with NNPCL . Mr. President did not complain about the unfair distribution of these inherited projects by the past administration but has continued to fund all the projects as inherited.

11. To my brother Senator Kwankwaso, you owe our President, Tinubu, an apology and a duty to withdraw your statement using the information I have provided herein for the benefit of Nigerians and the unity of the nation.

12 I request the good people of Nigeria to ignore Senator Kwakwanso’s misleading statement and know that President Tinubu is fairly committed to developing every part of this country with fairness, equity and the fear of God

-Engr. Nweze David Umahi,
Minister of Works
Federal Republic of Nigeria