The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has strongly refuted recent comments made by former Kano State Governor and presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, alleging that the North has been marginalised in road infrastructure development under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
In a detailed press statement issued on Friday, Umahi described Kwankwaso’s remarks as “absolutely false, misleading, and self-serving.” He accused the former senator of attempting to stir up regional sentiment for political gain.
“This is a grave misleading information made intentionally to deceive our brothers and sisters in the North,” Umahi stated. “Senator Kwankwaso is not being fair to Mr. President and the unity of our country.”
According to Umahi, President Tinubu’s administration is currently executing multiple legacy and inherited projects across all six geopolitical zones, with the North receiving a larger share in terms of road kilometres and budgetary allocation.
Among the four flagship road projects of the Tinubu administration, the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway (1,068 km) has 378 km under construction in Kebbi and Sokoto States, compared to the 175 km ongoing on the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway in the South. The Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe Road (439 km) is being redesigned for durability, favouring the North with 52% of total project length. The North currently accounts for 756 km of road under construction compared to 409 km in the South, according to the minister.
Umahi highlighted extensive ongoing works in the North including the Sokoto–Gusau–Funtua–Zaria road (275 km dualised at ₦824 billion), the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano highway (700 km, ₦764 billion), the BUA Tax Credit road through Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano (512 km), and numerous dualised roads in Kebbi, Borno, Yobe, and Benue, many awarded under the previous administration but now being funded and executed under President Tinubu.
The minister added that 80% of these projects were inherited from the Buhari administration and never took off until the Tinubu government intervened.
In contrast, Umahi listed key southern projects being executed, including the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway (₦33 billion), Third Mainland, Carter, and Eko Bridge repairs (₦120 billion total), the Enugu–Onitsha Road completed via MTN tax credit (₦202 billion), the Bodo–Bonny Road in Rivers State (₦200 billion by Julius Berger), the Eket Bypass, East-West Road, and 2nd Niger Bridge access roads in Delta and Anambra states. However, he noted that the South West is still awaiting funding for several economically vital corridors, including the Ibadan–Ife–Ilesa, and Ore–Sagamu roads.
Addressing inherited NNPCL road and bridge tax credit projects, Umahi disclosed that the North holds 53% of the total, compared to 47% for the South, with the South East receiving only 4% and the South West 5%. “Mr. President did not complain about the unfair distribution but is funding all projects in good faith,” he added.
Calling for a public retraction, Umahi said: “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.”
He warned Nigerians to be wary of “political leaders who seek favour through misinformation and division” and pledged to publish a comprehensive list of all ongoing projects above ₦20 billion next week.
