Alhaji Bashir M. Dalhatu, head of the Arewa Consultative Forum’s Board of Trustees, has voiced serious concerns about how Northern Nigeria is being treated under President Bola Tinubu’s government, as reported by Vanguard on Tuesday July 29 2025.
During a meeting in Kaduna with civil society groups and top government officials, Dalhatu reminded everyone that the North gave Tinubu strong support in the 2023 election over 64% of his total votes. But now, he says many people in the region feel left out.
He explained that major government decisions, projects, and appointments seem to ignore the North. He mentioned poor attention to key areas like security, farming, roads, electricity, schools, and hospitals. He also said important projects like the Ajaokuta Steel Plant and Kolmani oil site have been abandoned.
Dalhatu warned that insecurity is getting worse, with more cases of terrorism, bandit attacks, and kidnappings. He urged the President to act boldly and tackle the root problems, especially joblessness and poverty among young people.
On farming, he said the sector got less than 5% of the national budget in the last two years far below the 25% recommended by global experts. He added that allowing duty-free food imports has hurt local businesses, especially rice mills.
He also pointed out that out of over ₦1 trillion set aside for road projects in 2025, only ₦24 billion was given to the North-East. He claimed that no major road in the North has been completed or properly maintained in the last 20 years.
