Tag Archives: Kwankwaso

Again, Kwankwaso’s ally, Abdulmumin Jibrin, meets Tinubu at Aso Villa

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Abdulmumin Jibrin, a key political associate of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 general election, has met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja — marking their second meeting in just two weeks.

According to sources, Sunday’s meeting, which held from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., may have centered on the political relationship between Tinubu and Kwankwaso, as well as the rising anti-All Progressives Congress (APC) sentiment in parts of northern Nigeria.

Jibrin, however, declined to disclose the details of their discussions when approached by State House correspondents.

Read Also: Tinubu has been fair to all regions – Umahi

The latest visit comes less than two weeks after Jibrin’s July 30 meeting with the president, during which he spoke about national unity and development. When asked then about the possibility of defecting to the APC, Jibrin said, “Everything is open and everything is a possibility. The most important thing is the stability of the country and its unity.”

The renewed engagements between Jibrin and Tinubu follow recent comments by Kwankwaso alleging that the southern region is receiving preferential treatment in terms of infrastructure and development under the current administration.

Jibrin is known to maintain strong political connections with both President Tinubu and former Kano governor Kwankwaso.

Tinubu has not neglected the North, Presidency debunks Kwankwaso’s claim

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The Presidency has refuted claims by former Kano State Governor and 2023 NNPP presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has sidelined Northern Nigeria.

Kwankwaso had alleged during a stakeholders’ meeting on the 2025 constitutional amendment in Kano on Thursday that the North is being marginalised, with national resources skewed in favour of the South. He cited deteriorating federal road networks in the region, recounting a harrowing road trip from Abuja to Kano after a cancelled flight.

In response, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, dismissed the allegations in a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday.

Dare asserted that the Tinubu administration is committed to inclusive national development, highlighting several infrastructure and social investment projects actively ongoing across the North.

“The claim that Northern Nigeria has been left behind is incorrect,” he stated. “The Tinubu administration has initiated and sustained major projects in the North spanning roads, agriculture, energy, and healthcare.”

He listed key projects such as the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Expressway, the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, and the 614-kilometre Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline as evidence of development efforts in the region.

Read Also: APC will welcome Wike – Tinubu

Dare also pointed to the $158.15 million Agriculture Value Chain Development Programme being implemented across nine northern states, along with the Kolmani Integrated Development Project straddling Bauchi and Gombe states.

Additional programmes include the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) initiative, which seeks to reclaim one million hectares of degraded land in the North.

In the healthcare sector, the presidency noted major upgrades at facilities including Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Zaria, University of Jos Teaching Hospital, and Federal Medical Centre in Nguru. Over 1,000 primary healthcare centres are also undergoing revitalisation across northern states.

Road infrastructure projects cited include the Kano–Kongolam Road, Kaduna–Jos Road, Kano–Maiduguri Dual Carriageway, and rehabilitation works in Borno and Adamawa states.

On the energy front, Dare mentioned the Gwagwalada Power Plant and upcoming solar power initiatives in Kaduna, while also citing ongoing work on the Kaduna–Kano and Kano–Maradi rail lines, as well as the Abuja Metro rehabilitation project.

“From critical road networks to power infrastructure, rail, agriculture, and health, the Tinubu administration has the North well covered,” Dare concluded.