By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo
Two years into President Bola Tinubu’s administration, a critical political paradox has emerged. While Northern Nigeria remains one of the strongest voting blocs behind the President, it is increasingly vocal in its disappointment and sense of exclusion.
The two-day Government-Citizens Engagement Forum, convened by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna, which ended yesterday, offered a rare glimpse into a region both aggrieved and assertive. Angry, and yet still invested in the promise of national unity.
The gathering, which brought together a broad spectrum of Northern political leaders, governors, traditional rulers, federal officials, and civil society actors, became a platform for a frank post-election audit. For many stakeholders, especially Northern elders and advocacy groups, it was time to confront what they see as a growing disconnect between campaign promises and policy outcomes.
NEF’s take on education, infrastructure, and federal parity
Professor Ango Abdullahi, Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, did not mince words. He called the region’s predicament a “national emergency,” especially in education and infrastructure. Declaring that 80% of Nigeria’s 20 million out-of-school children are from the North, Abdullahi’s remarks were not mere statistics, they were a scathing indictment of long-term neglect and recent federal inertia.
His proposed N15 trillion twin-investment in Northern education and infrastructure may appear idealistic, but it underlines an unambiguous demand: national budgeting must reflect national equity. Abdullahi also decried the relocation of CBN departments from Abuja to Lagos and the lopsidedness in federal appointments, suggesting a subtle pattern of exclusion under the Tinubu government.
Between political realism and rising expectations
Interestingly, these grievances were not met with total opposition from key Northern governors. Rather than join the chorus of criticism, they opted for a calibrated defence of the Tinubu administration. Governors Inuwa Yahaya and Uba Sani acknowledged the region’s pains but urged patience and partnership. They cited flagship projects like the Kaduna Refinery rehabilitation, Abuja-Kano roadworks, the student loan scheme, and agricultural transformation efforts as signs of good faith by the Tinubu government.
This dual-track response, criticism from elder statesmen and cautious optimism from political incumbents illustrate a deeper divide within the North itself: one between a frustrated elite demanding urgent course correction and a pragmatic leadership class that sees potential in collaboration with Abuja.
ACF’s stark assessment
Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, brought a more sobering tone to the proceedings. In his view, the North has not received its fair share of federal infrastructure, agriculture investment, or strategic development. His referencing of budgetary disparities , ₦1.394 trillion for the South-West versus ₦105 billion for the North-West , was more than a fiscal complaint. It was a political warning: if lopsided allocations persist, national cohesion could be at risk.
Dalhatu’s call for the establishment of an ACF–Federal Government contact committee could provide a much-needed institutional channel for dialogue. But it also reflects a trust deficit that is beginning to widen, even among those who championed the Tinubu presidency in 2023.
Ribadu’s counter-narrative on insecurity
From the security front, National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu offered a compelling, if under-reported, counter-narrative. He stated that Boko Haram attacks, communal violence, and banditry have reduced significantly under Tinubu’s tenure, with over 11,000 hostages freed and several terror commanders neutralised. Ribadu’s statistics, though impressive, barely resonated amid the louder political discontent, a reminder that while security gains are real, they are often overshadowed by broader structural grievances.
Re-industrialisation, Kaduna textile dream
Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, attempted to revive nostalgia as a political balm. His announcement that the federal government will resuscitate the Kaduna Textile industry was met with cautious interest. Re-industrialisation, particularly in the North, is a powerful idea but one that has been promised and abandoned by multiple administrations.
If Tinubu’s government can follow through, especially in agro-allied industrial zones as proposed by Ango Abdullahi, it would not only revive jobs but restore credibility to Abuja’s Northern development promises.
A region at crossroads
The political message from Kaduna was unambiguous: the North is not united in its perception of the Tinubu administration. It is fractured between loyalty and disillusionment, between hopeful collaboration and raw dissatisfaction. What unites the region, however, is a growing insistence on fairness, federal balance, and participatory governance.
Northern Nigeria delivered over 60% of the votes that brought Tinubu to power. Two years on, that political capital is being spent, and increasingly, scrutinised.
The challenge before President Tinubu is two fold: to address urgent policy imbalances without alienating his political allies, and to build a governance structure that is not just inclusive in optics but also equitable in substance. Kaduna has spoken not with one voice but with a chorus demanding to be heard.
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