The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has declared that the North would be the ultimate loser if President Bola Tinubu fails to secure a fresh mandate in the 2027 general elections.
Yilwatda made the remarks on Monday while receiving certain members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) who defected to the ruling party.
The erstwhile ADC chieftains were led by Princess Aslam Aliyu.
Professor Yilwatda, who listed ongoing and completed road infrastructure projects across states in the region, also noted that the main beneficiaries of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) are from the northern region.
In apparent reference to the vow by the ADC Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to return fuel subsidy if elected as President, the APC National Chairman equally declared that states in the North benefited more from the removal of the subsidy regime, as he maintained that most states in the region could not pay the salaries of workers and the gratuities of pensioners before Tinubu came to office.
He said: “The same thing they keep on saying, you know, the outside radio stations tell us that they will return the subsidy. I keep on asking, how are they going to return the subsidy?
“You mean they will stop all these road constructions because they want to return the subsidy? Because there will be no money for this construction, all this road again. The gas they are bringing to the north.
“That gas will go with fertilizer. And we in the north, we need those fertilizers. You mean they should stop it? The CNG, they will come with the gas. We make transportation easier for the vulnerable people. Should we stop it?
“The beneficiaries of the student loan, most of them are from the north. We have more and more of them in this part of the country. Should we stop it? And most of our people who can’t afford school fees should go back as wheelbarrow pushers in the villages? Questions are too many. We can’t answer them all here.
“And I can also assure you, among the about 30 states that could not pay salaries in Nigeria, all the states in the north, none could pay salaries. None could pay salaries as of 2023, when President Tinubu took over. So should we say our state now should go back again? They can’t pay salaries, they can’t pay gratuities… increase poverty again in the north. These were some of the factors that were making poverty prevailing in the north and other parts of Nigeria also.”
Earlier in his presentation, Honourable Mohammed Hassan, who spoke on behalf of his other colleagues, pleaded with the APC National Chairman to ensure that they are integrated as members of the APC political family.
“We are not here merely to change the political platform, but to begin a new chapter of service and a great contribution to our people by supporting Baba Tinubu’s Renewable Agenda 2027.
“We respectfully ask the National Chairmanship and the entire leadership to receive us as brothers and partners, to give us the opportunity to contribute and support us as we take this new message back to our people.
“Our commitment remains clear: to support the party, mobilise our people, promote development and services to Nigeria with sincerity and dedication.”