The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has fiercely criticised former Kano State governor and presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 general election, 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 at the weekend, Umahi, who described the allegation as “absolutely false, misleading, and self-serving,” stressed that Kwankwaso won’t succeed in his desperation to inherit former President Muhammadu Buhari’s impeccable legacy.
The works minister insisted that out of the total length of Tinubu’s legacy projects, the North accounts for 52 per cent, while the South has 48 per cent.
Umahi said Kwankwaso’s claims were aimed at deceiving northerners and stirring unnecessary regional sentiments.
He urged the former Kano State governor to apologise to the president for misleading Nigerians and retract the unfounded statement, which he described as lacking in both fact and substance.
Umahi also urged Kwankwaso to rely on the factual information he had provided in the interest of Nigerians and national unity.
He further appealed to Nigerians to disregard Kwankwaso’s claims, assuring them that President Tinubu remains firmly committed to developing every part of the country with fairness, equity, and the fear of God.
For emphasis, the minister challenged anyone with contrary facts regarding the road projects he presented, inviting them to an open debate.
“To my brother Senator Kwankwaso, you owe our dear president an apology and a duty to withdraw your statement using the information I have provided for the benefit of Nigerians and the unity of the nation.
“I request the good people of Nigeria to ignore Senator Kwankwaso’s misleading statement and know that President Tinubu is equally committed to developing every part of this country with fairness, equity, and the fear of God,” he said.
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He accused Kwankwaso of political opportunism, saying: “I consider the statement as one made out of desperation and as part of his struggle, along with a few others who believe that they can inherit the impeccable legacy of our dear late President Muhammadu Buhari, and that the only way available for them towards achieving the same is to be divisive and pretentious.
“Trying to be like our late President Buhari cannot be a job of three decades and cannot be done with deceit.
“I think our younger generation has such a chance, and it must be worked for through hard work, honesty, transparency, and commitment to the unity of our country, a legacy that our late President Buhari achieved in all his life on earth. May God continue to bless his legacies and give him a peaceful rest, Amen”.
To counter the allegations, Umahi provided updates on major ongoing federal road projects across all six geopolitical zones, emphasizing the Northern region.
According to him, the four legacy projects of the Tinubu’s administration include the 750km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, with 175km under construction; the 1,068km Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, with 378km ongoing in the North; the 465km Trans-Sahara Highway, with 59km under construction in Ebonyi State; and the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe Road, measuring 439km and currently undergoing redesign to rigid pavement.
“Out of the total length of these legacy projects, the North accounts for 52% while the South has 48%. Within the segments already under construction, the North has 756km ongoing, compared to 409km in the South,” he said.
He added that Kebbi State alone has 316km under construction, and Sokoto has 240km ongoing. In contrast, Lagos has just 220km, “Yet people only mention Lagos-Calabar and ignore the massive work in the North,” Umahi remarked.
Providing further details, Umahi cited the 275km dualized Sokoto-Gusau-Funtua-Zaria Road, part of a 750km corridor being handled by four contractors at N824 billion, while also listing the 700km Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road, valued at N764 billion.
Other key Northern projects, according to the Minister, include the 256km BUA Tax Credit Road spanning Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano states; the 156km Zaria-Hunkuyi Road; the 49km Kano Northern Bypass; the 110km Kano-Maiduguri Section V; and various Dangote Tax Credit roads in Borno State.
According to him, additional projects in the North include the 76km Malando road in Kebbi; the 250km Benue-to-9th Mile Road; and the 86km Lokoja-Okene dualisation project.
Turning to Southern Nigeria, Umahi highlighted several completed and ongoing projects, which include the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, the Oyo-Ogbomoso-Ilorin Road, and critical repairs on the Third Mainland, Eko, and Carter bridges.
In the South-east, he explained that the Enugu-Onitsha Road (107km) is being funded by the MTN Tax Credit Scheme, with an additional 72km stretch undertaken by CBC, adding that the Enugu-Abakaliki Road and access roads to the Second Niger Bridge are also under construction, along with the 61km Lokpanta-Enugu Road.
In the South-south, ongoing projects include the Eleme-Onne Road, the Eket Bypass, East-West Road Section 2, the Nembe-Brass Road, and the Bodo-Bonny Road by Julius Berger.
Umahi announced that a comprehensive list of inherited and ongoing projects would be published shortly.
He noted that out of the inherited Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd (NNPCL) Tax Credit projects, the North has 53% while the South has 47%. Of these, the South East receives only 4% and the South West 5%. “Yet the President never complained but continued funding them,” he said.
“I have been under pressure from South West stakeholders for major roads like Ibadan-Oyo, Ibadan-Ile Ife-Ilesa, and Ore-Sagamu, but limited funding is a challenge.
“The Carter Bridge is so deformed that it needs to be demolished. The Third Mainland Bridge is closed to heavy trucks due to underwater defects.”
“Mr. President has continued to fund critical projects irrespective of region. These are all part of our economic corridors. I will publish details of ongoing projects above N20 billion next week,” Umahi said.
Umahi accused certain political figures of deliberately spreading falsehoods for political gain, saying, “Unfortunately, some political leaders aim only to deceive Nigerians and gain political favour instead of promoting unity.”
The minister, however, challenged anyone with contrary facts to an open debate, saying, “I am ready to explain further and even face a public debate to set the record straight.
“I repeat, Senator Kwankwaso should apologise to President Tinubu and Nigerians. His claim is not backed by facts. Let the truth be known. Let us focus on building a united and developed Nigeria. The facts are there for everyone to see.”
