Nabena to Kwankwaso: You can’t use regional sentiments to stop southern presidency

Yekini Nabena, former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says no amount of regional or ethnic sentiments will stop the south from completing eight years in the presidency.

Nabena was reacting to comments made by Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano, who had alleged that the south is being favoured in terms of infrastructure and development under the current federal government.

Kwankwaso, who was the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) during the 2023 election, had claimed that road networks in the north remain poor while infrastructural investment is skewed toward the southern part of the country.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Nabena accused Kwankwaso of attempting to incite northerners against the current administration and frustrate the chances of a southerner retaining power beyond 2027.

“The incitement of the North against the Southern presidency for political business or negotiation, like some politicians did in 2019 and 2023, can no longer work,” Nabena said.

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

Nabena, who hails from Bayelsa, challenged Kwankwaso to visit south-south states by road and compare the region’s infrastructure to that of the north.

“Is the North inferior or superior to the South after eight years of the North at the helm of affairs of Nigeria?” he asked.

“Why is Senator Kwankwaso still complaining of underdevelopment in the North when the region just completed its eight years?

“One will also wonder which of the northern money or resources was used to develop the South. Is it the gold, rice or groundnut pyramid?”

The former APC spokesperson insisted that the southern region must be allowed to complete its turn in the presidency for the sake of fairness and equity.

He said Kwankwaso cannot intimidate the south ahead of the 2027 general election.

“You cannot intimidate the South or anybody with Kano votes any longer, because as politicians, we all know the game and what you are up to,” Nabena said.

“The era of playing religious or ethnic cards is fast becoming unfashionable.”

Sunday Dare, presidential media adviser, had also dismissed the marginalisation claims by Kwankwaso as politically driven.