Former Kano governorship candidate, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of favouring Lagos State with a disproportionate share of federal infrastructure projects.
Yakasai, popularly known as Dawisu, raised the alarm in a post on his verified Facebook page, saying the pattern of investment under Tinubu’s administration threatens national unity and fuels regional inequality.
He listed high-value projects such as the N15 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the $651 million 7th Axial Road, the proposed $2 billion Lagos Light Rail project, the University of Lagos Power Project, and the Renewed Hope City initiative as examples of “trillions-naira investment concentration in Lagos.”
While acknowledging the importance of some of these developments, Yakasai questioned the scale of federal allocations to a single state.
He queried: “Some justify the N712 billion rehabilitation of the Lagos International Airport because it’s profitable. I agree it’s important. But how many projects of that scale has Tinubu approved outside Lagos?”
The former media aide to ex-Kano governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, compared Lagos’ infrastructure boom to the neglect faced by states in the North, including his native Kano.
“The idea that only Lagos is economically viable is flawed. If such investments were replicated elsewhere, other states could also flourish,” he said.
Yakasai also took aim at Tinubu’s leadership style, arguing that it lacks national inclusiveness.
He stated: “Once elected, a president must represent all Nigerians — not one state or one tribe.
“I understand Emi Lokan — but sometimes it feels like Tinubu is President of Lagos, not Nigeria. Even parts of the South West are being sidelined in favour of Lagos. Emi Lokan is starting to look more like Lagos Lokan.”
He urged the federal government to pursue a more equitable distribution of infrastructure and warned that continued neglect of other regions could erode national trust.
“Any objective Lagosian with a conscience will know this favoritism is unprecedented. But if the agenda must agend, go ahead. We will keep speaking — if only for the record,” he concluded.
