Tinubu Prioritizes North, Says APC Vice Chair

The All Progressives Congress National Vice Chairman North East comrade Mustapha Salihu has dismissed the insinuations by Northern elites that administration of President Bola Tinubu has abandoned the region

Speaking exclusively with Arewa PUNCH on Monday via a phone interview. Salihu said that the aggrieved northern elites bandying such talks do not represent the interests of the North but their personal interest.

“Our past governments only took care of their interest while our infrastructure development was suffering, youths development and other sectors were suffering because funds meant for projects were diverted to servicing the same people that enjoyed government and retired, “.

Thus, Salihu noted that the present administration under President Tinubu can not expend all funds meant to develop all parts of the country and the interest of the teeming youths across the country to service those that can not add value to the development of Nigeria.

“I advise them (northern leaders) to use the money they accumulated when they were in government to take care of themselves and allow government to focus on human and infrastructural development.

He disclosed that the north takes the highest budget of the country and that major appointments go to the north.

“I challenge northern elites to check the budgets of ministries headed by northern ministers, the north takes more than half of our budget, so how can anyone say that this administration is against the north, if it’s not just for cheap blackmail,” he added.

Salihu added, “Northern elites should check states’ allocations to northern governors. Even when northern presidents were in office, such money was not allocated to northern governors. So, how can anyone now accuse such a government of marginalising the northern region?” he queried.

He further tasked northern elites to ask their governors to explain how they are spending the money allocated to them from the centre, yet without any meaningful development in their states.

While commenting on the 2027 general elections, he declared that President Tinubu has no competitors, reminding Arewa PUNCH that the outcome of last Saturday by-elections showed that the next elections will be APC verses APC.

“There is a Hausa adage that says you know a good weekend from Wednesday. So the by-elections have confirmed that the APC will be victorious in next general elections,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, the APC chieftain, advised former vice president Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and others to join President Tinubu in the task of nation building, insisting that only political unity can bring accelerated development to Nigeria.

“They can remain in their political parties, but work together with the APC the ruling party for development. It is happening in the USA, China, and other countries. President Obasanjo, during his tenure, formed a unity government. It can still work for our youth future,” he stated.

On the allegations that he was caught with the Independent National Electoral Commission box in his car, he described the allegations as blackmail, even as Salihu maintained that his car was searched in the presence of PDP chieftains and the police but nothing belonging to the commission was found on him or in his possession.

“I challenge PDP to show the video that shows that INEC box election was found in my car. This thing happened after the voting was even over.

“Moreiver, what will I be doing with the election box if it is not to tarnish my hard earned reputation,” he declared.

Salihu insisted that he can not join issues with the PDP Adamawa State chairman because of the national leadership position he is holding.

“There is no need for me to reply to the Adamawa State PDP chairman. The state chairman of APC will do that because they are mates and in the same level of hierarchy, “ he noted.

 “The PDP chairman is from Ganye. He said that if he loses the Ganye by-election, he will resign. He lost his unit, his ward, and the entire local government. Let me see when and if he is going to  truly resign as a man of his words,” the APC chieftain said teasingly.