By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, has criticized recent comments made by former Kano State Governor and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, over federal project allocations and national development.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Nabena dismissed Kwankwaso’s claims that the Tinubu-led administration has neglected the North in favour of Southern Nigeria. He argued that such assertions are baseless and aimed at stoking regional tension.
According to Nabena, no ethnic, religious, or regional sentiment should be used to undermine the legitimacy of a Southern presidency. He emphasized that the South is constitutionally entitled to complete eight years in office, describing it as a matter of fairness and political balance.
Kwankwaso, who ran for president in 2023 under the NNPP platform, had accused the federal government of concentrating infrastructure and development projects in the South, particularly highlighting the North’s poor road conditions. The Presidency has since responded by publishing a list of projects showing a greater allocation to the North under President Tinubu’s administration.
Reacting further, Nabena alleged that Kwankwaso’s true intent is to incite Northern voters against the current administration and derail the prospect of a Southern president completing two terms in office.
“This kind of political incitement, used in the past for negotiation or bargaining, is no longer effective. Nigerians are more politically aware, and the people of Kano now understand who is exploiting them for political gain,” Nabena said.
The Bayelsa-born politician challenged Kwankwaso to tour the South-South by road and compare the region’s infrastructure with that of the North, particularly in light of the North having held presidential power for eight years prior to Tinubu.
“Is the North inferior or superior to the South? Why complain about underdevelopment in the North after the region just finished eight years in power?” Nabena questioned.
He went on to reject the idea that Northern resources were used to develop the South, sarcastically referring to regional commodities like gold, rice, and the groundnut pyramid.
Nabena also criticized attempts to use regional or religious sentiments for political gain, stating: “The era of using ethnic or religious cards is fast becoming outdated. You can’t intimidate the South with Kano votes anymore we all know the game.”
He concluded by asserting that Kwankwaso lacks the influence to sway national politics in 2027, warning that any attempt to pit the North against the South for political leverage would fail.
