Son of elder statesman, Tanko Yakasai, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, yesterday took a swipe at President Ahmed Bola Tinubu over an alleged discriminatory distribution of resources in favour of Lagos, asking whether Tinubu is the President of Lagos.
Tanko Yakasai’s position came amid growing discontent by Northern politicians over what they called prioritising development of Lagos at the expense of 19 Northern states in the federation.
Yakasai, in a lengthy essay he published in his verified Facebook page, stated: “I understand ‘Emi Lokan’, but sometimes I wonder if Tinubu is the President of Nigeria or that of Lagos”.
Yakasai, otherwise known as Dawisun Kanawa, posited that “Any objective Lagosian with a conscience will know that this favoritism is ridiculous at a level we’ve never seen in the country’s history. But if agenda most is favoured, then by all means, continue to defend it, while we continue to speak out so that the records will be there for prosperity sake”.
The former governorship flagbearer of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in the last General election in Kano posited that “Even his geopolitical zone, the South West, is being marginalized in favor of Lagos, not just in these projects but also in appointments. It’s safe to say that Emi Lokan is more like Lagos Lokan”.
He stressed that “If all these are just within his first 2years in office, what then should we expect if he spends eight years in office till 2031?”
The soft-spoken politician, known in local parlance as ‘Ɗawisun Kanawa’, noted that “These are the arguments we should be making and not trying to justify why any project is a priority, of course it’s a priority. But what happened to equity, fairness and justice?”
The former Aide to the immediate past National Chairman of the ruling party said “I’ve noticed my friends and others from Lagos justifying the ₦712 billion rehabilitatio)n of the Lagos International Airport, citing its profitability and status as the busiest airport in the country. I agree on the importance of Lagos International Airport”.
“However, my question is: how many projects has President Tinubu awarded or approved for Lagos since becoming president? Let me mention a few: Lagos-Calabar Highway: ₦1 trillion, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: ₦196 billion, 7th Axial Road: $651 million (approximately ₦1.2 trillion), Murtala Muhammed International Airport: ₦712 billion, Perimeter fencing and security for Lagos Airport: ₦50 billion.
Others projects listed by Yakasai include: Lagos-Shagamu Road: ₦11 billion, Lekki-Epe Service Lane: N158 billion, Lagos-Badagry to Sokoto highway: ₦1.6 trillion, Rehabilitation of four bridges in Lagos (we dont even know how much that one cost), Proposed $2 billion (approximately ₦3.2 trillion) loan for Lagos Light Rail; soon you’ll here work has start”
According to Yakasai “Considering these projects, along with others like the University of Lagos Power Project and Renewed Hope City etc, it’s clear that trillions have been invested in Lagos within the first two years of President Tinubu’s administration”.
“This raises an alarm about the distribution of resources across states. For instance, my home state of Kano seems to have only the Renewed Hope City project, with little to no other tangible projects on the ground, only audio approvals”, Yakasai stated.
The Northern-bred politician said “If these vast funds were invested in other states too, leveraging their comparative advantages, of course they would become economically viable as well. While it’s understandable that a state that produced a president and those states that voted for him might receive preferential treatment, once elected, a president should prioritise the needs of all Nigerians, not just one state or tribe”.
