Umahi Demands Apology from Kwankwaso Over Lopsided Projects Claim Against Tinubu

 Minister of Works David Umahi on July 27, 2025, called for an apology from Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, accusing him of spreading falsehoods by claiming President Bola Tinubu’s administration favors southern projects. 

The demand, made during a ministerial briefing, responds to Kwankwaso’s July 24 speech in Kano, where he cited poor northern road conditions, including his Abuja-Kaduna-Kano trip, as evidence of neglect. Umahi countered with data on 12 ongoing northern projects worth ₦2.5 trillion, including the Sokoto-Badagry Highway and Kano-Maiduguri rail, alongside southern initiatives like the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Umahi labeled Kwankwaso’s remarks politically motivated, noting the administration’s ₦1.5 trillion northern agricultural investment since 2023. Critics, including northern civil society, argue project delays undermine Umahi’s defense, with the Abuja-Kaduna road still hazardous. 

Kwankwaso’s camp has not responded, but the narrative of regional bias versus balanced development fuels a heated political debate, with the 2025 constitutional review looming as a potential battleground.