The federal government has dismissed insinuations of regional favoritism in the distribution of projects and appointments under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. In a statement on Sunday, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the claims as “half-truths and fake information,” asserting that the government has consistently upheld fairness and equity in its allocation of infrastructure and opportunities across all six geopolitical zones.
Idris highlighted several key projects as evidence of this equitable distribution, including the massive Lagos–Calabar coastal highway and the Badagry–Sokoto highway. He noted that work is ongoing on numerous road, rail, and power projects, with funding already secured for light rail projects in Kano and Kaduna, valued at N150 billion and N100 billion, respectively. The minister also mentioned the rehabilitation of over 1,000 primary healthcare centers and efforts to restore the eastern rail corridor from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri.
Quoting verifiable data, the minister stated that the North-West geopolitical zone has been the biggest beneficiary of project approvals, receiving N5.97 trillion, which represents over 40 percent of the total allocations. Other figures he provided included N2.41 trillion for the South-South, N1.13 trillion for the North-Central, N407 billion for the South-East, N400 billion for the North-East, and N604 billion for the South-West (excluding Lagos). Idris added that the North accounts for 52 percent of legacy road projects, while the South has 48 percent. He concluded that Tinubu’s leadership is inclusive, unifying, and pragmatic, and that no part of the country will be left behind.
