Former aide to ex-Kano State governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, has raised serious concerns about what he describes as an excessive concentration of federal projects, resources and political appointments in Lagos State under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a strongly-worded post on his verified Facebook page titled “Emi-Lokan or Lagos-Lakon?”, Yakasai questioned whether Tinubu is governing as “President of Nigeria or just of Lagos”, sparking fresh debate about regional equity in national development.
Yakasai acknowledged that states which produce a president or strongly support him electorally might reasonably expect some preferential treatment. However, he argued that once elected, a president has a constitutional obligation to prioritize the needs of all Nigerians equally, rather than favoring one state or ethnic group.
The former aide presented a detailed list of major infrastructure projects worth trillions of naira that have been approved or awarded to Lagos since Tinubu took office two years ago.
The projects cited include the N15 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, N196 billion Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, $651 million (about N1.2 trillion) 7th Axial Road, and N712 billion rehabilitation of Murtala Muhammed International Airport. Other projects mentioned are N50 billion for airport perimeter fencing, N11 billion Lagos-Shagamu Road, N158 billion Lekki-Epe Service Lane, N1.6 trillion Lagos-Badagry to Sokoto Highway, rehabilitation of four Lagos bridges, and a proposed $2 billion (N3.2 trillion) loan for Lagos Light Rail.
In stark contrast, Yakasai noted that his home state of Kano has only received approval for the “Renewed Hope City” project with little visible implementation, describing other promised projects as mere “audio approvals”. He argued that if similar massive investments were made in other states based on their economic potential and comparative advantages, they could achieve comparable development to Lagos.
“I understand ‘Emi Lokan’ (It’s my turn), but sometimes I wonder if Tinubu is the President of Nigeria or that of Lagos,” Yakasai wrote. “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 Lakon (Lagos’ turn).”
The former aide warned that if this pattern of disproportionate investment continues unchecked throughout a potential eight-year presidency, the regional development imbalance could reach unprecedented levels. He called for greater adherence to principles of equity, fairness and justice in national resource allocation, suggesting the current approach threatens national unity.
“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,” Yakasai stated. “But if agenda must be agenda, then by all means continue to defend it, while we continue to speak out so that the records will be there for posterity’s sake.”
Yakasai’s comments come just weeks after similar allegations by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, who accused the Tinubu administration of systematically marginalizing northern states.
The Arewa Consultative Forum had backed Kwankwaso’s claims, prompting a swift rebuttal from presidential spokespersons defending the administration’s commitment to balanced national development.
