Lawrence Olaoye 
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has dismissed the claims of the opposition politicians that the President Bola Tinubu’s administration has marginalised the North both in appointments and projects allocation.
Sani, who spoke to newsmen at the Presidential Villa over the weekend, after a meeting with the President, insisted that the region was holding key positions and remained central to national decision-making in the Tinubu’s administration.
The Kaduna State governor cited “tangible evidence” of northern dominance in strategic federal offices and ongoing development collaborations.
“You cannot be talking about marginalisation when you have the Minister of Defence, Minister of State for Defence, the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Chief of Army Staff—all from northern Nigeria,” Sani declared.
“Even the head of the Civil Defence and the Controller of Immigration are from the North. Both the Minister and Minister of State for Agriculture are northerners; Health is led by someone from the North. When you look at these records and positions, what are we talking about marginalisation?”
The governor, who belongs to the same All Progressive Congress (APC) as the President, urged northern stakeholders to move beyond blame and focus on solutions. “Northern Nigeria’s problems are complex and steeped in history, but blaming others is not productive,” he said.
“The evidence shows northerners are well represented and involved in government at all levels. The key is human capital development and unity among northern leaders, businessmen, and communities. Government alone cannot solve these challenges—it requires collective effort,” he said.
Sani also referenced the landmark gathering of northern leaders at Arewa House, Kaduna, on July 29–30, 2025, calling it a turning point for the region.
“The meeting attracted about 80 government officials from northern Nigeria along with major stakeholders—from academics to civil society leaders, market women, youth groups, traditional and religious leaders.
“For the first time in our nation’s history, such a broad representation came together to discuss holistically the challenges of northern Nigeria,” he said. He added that the outcome of the gathering was unanimous: “We all agreed no zone in the North was marginalised, based on data and statistics.” The governor shifted focus to the pressing issue of education, noting that the region must address longstanding deficits.
On his meeting with the President, Sani said he provided updates on key Kaduna initiatives. He revealed that the state’s light rail project, designed to complement the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system launched six months ago, was progressing well with federal support. “We are working closely with the federal government on our light rail project here in Kaduna,” he said. “I came to brief Mr. President on the progress we are making.”
He also confirmed that construction of a cancer centre within the state’s new 300-bed Bolami Julio Specialist Hospital had commenced, following Tinubu’s promise during his visit to Kaduna. Acknowledging ongoing security challenges, Sani emphasised that military action alone would not deliver lasting peace. He concluded by stressing that addressing the economic and social roots of insecurity was critical.
