MIRIAM NNOLI 
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has called on a former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to apologise to President Bola Tinubu for accusing the President of neglecting the Northern part of the country in the area of development.
Umahi who spoke on Saturday in reaction to Kwankwaso’s comment urged Nigerians to ignore the former Kano governor’s statement, saying it’s misleading.
According to the minister, Kwankwaso’s comment was made to deceive the Northern people and to pretend that he loves the North more than any other leader from the North.
The former Ebonyi State governor also highlighted some of the key ongoing projects of Tinubu in the North, including the 1,068km Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway.
He said the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe Road, which is 439km, was being redesigned from flexible pavement to rigid pavement for a more durable pavement as directed by the President and to conform to the other legacy projects.
“To my brother, Senator Kwankwaso, you owe our President Tinubu an apology and a duty to withdraw your statement using the information I have provided herein for the benefit of Nigerians and the unity of the nation.
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“I request the good people of Nigeria to ignore Senator Kwankwaso’s misleading statement and know that President Tinubu is fairly committed to developing every part of this country with fairness, equity, and the fear of God.
“I consider Senator Kwankwaso’s statement as a statement made out of desperation and as part of his struggle with a few others who believe that they can inherit the impeccable legacy of our dear late President Muhammadu Buhari, and that the only way available for them towards achieving the same is to be divisive and pretentious.
“Trying to be like our late President Buhari cannot be a job of three decades and can not be done with deceit.
“As of today, we have 258 km ongoing at Kebbi section and 120 km ongoing at the Sokoto section. The total ongoing is 378km by six lanes or 756 km by three lanes in the North.
“In the four legacy projects, the North has 52 per cent and the South 48 per cent. Within the ongoing projects as of today, the South has 409 km by three lanes and the North has 756km by three lanes.
“The facts are there. I wonder why people don’t talk about other legacy projects of Mr. President, but will always dwell on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. This road has only 220 km by three lanes in Lagos State, which is ongoing now.
“Cross River and Akwa Ibom have 130km by three lanes that is ongoing, whereas Kebbi alone has 316 km by three lanes that is ongoing. Sokoto has 240 km by three lanes that is ongoing.
“I think Senator Kwankwaso is not fair to Mr. President and the unity of our country.
“I can say with all sense of responsibility that President Tinubu is a fair President. He has favoured the North in road development more than the South, especially the North West, where Senator Kwankwaso comes from,” he added.
