‘For fairness, south must finish its eight years’ — Nabena replies Kwankwaso

Yekini Nabena, former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has tackled Rabiu Kwankwaso over comments suggesting the North is being sidelined in project distribution under the current administration.

Nabena said Kwankwaso’s remarks were aimed at fuelling regional division and undermining the principle of power rotation, which, he argued, favours the South completing eight years in the presidency.

Kwankwaso, a former Kano governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), had accused the federal government of favouring the South in infrastructure development.

He claimed roads in the North remain in disrepair while major investments are concentrated in southern Nigeria.

But Nabena dismissed the claims, saying the former governor was playing “ethnic and religious cards” to rile up sentiments ahead of the 2027 elections.

In a statement issued Tuesday in Abuja, the APC chieftain accused Kwankwaso of attempting to incite northerners against the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

“As politicians, we understand what the former governor is up to,” Nabena said.

“He is working hard to incite the North against the Southern presidency, but that has failed woefully because the South must complete the eight years in the presidency for fairness and equity.”

He said northerners cannot be used again as political pawns.

“The people now know the real intention. Even in Kano, voters now understand who is using them for political business. Political gladiators now know the tactics of political merchants.”

Nabena, who hails from Bayelsa, challenged Kwankwaso to tour South-South states by road to compare the infrastructure with that in the North.

“Is the North inferior or superior to the South after eight years of the North holding power? Why is Senator Kwankwaso still complaining about underdevelopment when the region just completed its eight years?,” he said.

“One will also wonder, which northern resource was used to develop the South? Is it the gold, rice or the groundnut pyramids?”

The former APC spokesman insisted that no one can intimidate the South or derail its claim to the presidency in 2027.

“You cannot intimidate the South or anybody with Kano votes any longer because as politicians, we know the game and what you are up to. The era of playing religious or ethnic cards is far becoming unfashionable,” he added.