Tinubu Government Accused of Marginalising Northern Nigeria, Babachir Lawal Alleges Deliberate Neglect

By Okafor Joseph | July 29, 2025 | SpringnewsNG Media Limited

Abuja, Nigeria – Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of deliberately undermining Northern Nigeria by neglecting infrastructure development and dismantling the region’s gains.

Speaking on Trust TV’s Sunday Politics, Lawal said the North has been cut off from major federal projects, aligning with recent criticism by former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

“There is no infrastructure work going on at any level in the North,” Lawal stated.
“Everything this government does is designed to destroy the North. The sense we get as Northerners is that if this government can undo what it inherited, it will do so willingly.”

Kwankwaso and Lawal Warn of Rising Marginalisation

Lawal, a former All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, said that both he and Kwankwaso, as engineers, have first-hand knowledge of the absence of projects. He warned that APC’s political fortunes in the region could be in jeopardy ahead of the next general elections.

“Which northern elected official will go into the next election under the APC and win? None,” he declared.
“Unless they decamp to other parties, they will face rejection because the party is seen as destructive to the North.”

Kwankwaso had earlier alleged that Tinubu’s infrastructure allocation favours the South, deepening poverty and insecurity in Northern Nigeria.

Federal Government Dismisses Allegations

Responding to the allegations, Minister of Works, David Umahi, called the claims “misleading and politically motivated.”

He noted that 52% of Tinubu’s top four road projects are located in the North, citing the 756 km Sokoto–Badagry superhighway as a prime example.

Presidential adviser Sunday Dare also defended the administration, listing over 40 federal programmes and projects currently ongoing in Northern Nigeria. He insisted the marginalisation narrative is false and driven by political calculations ahead of 2027.

Rising Regional Tensions

The debate comes amid growing regional tension and concerns over equitable resource distribution, as northern leaders warn that continued neglect could worsen insecurity and economic deprivation in the region.