The Chairman of the Northern Christian Association, NCA, Rev. John Hayab, has said President Bola Tinubu deserves credit for infrastructure and other interventions across Northern Nigeria.
Hayab, however, said the improvements had not resolved the region’s major challenges, particularly insecurity, hunger and poverty.
He said northerners should acknowledge government interventions while continuing to demand more from the administration.
Speaking on the issue, Hayab cited major road projects including the Akwanga-Maiduguri, Jos-Jalingo, Kaduna-Birnin Gwari-Mokwa-Lagos and Sokoto-Lagos corridors.
“Look at the roads from Akwanga that will go as far as Maiduguri. Look at the roads from Jos that will go to Jalingo. These are very serious roads,” he said.
Hayab compared Tinubu’s performance with that of former President Muhammadu Buhari, particularly regarding the Kaduna-Abuja road.
“Buhari didn’t perform and they are doing better than his. So, why don’t you acknowledge it? Because it’s not for free. Huge money has been invested in those projects.
“Honestly speaking, all the years Buhari was in power, that Kaduna road was supposed to have been finished, but they were playing games around all that. People were losing their lives; they didn’t care. At least these ones are trying,” he said.
He said the Abuja-Makurdi route had also improved, reducing travel time for motorists, while the completion of the Mararaba flyover was expected to provide additional relief.
Hayab also pointed to the representation of Northerners in Tinubu’s administration.
“The North is there. The North is the party chairman of his party. The North is the Minister of Information. The North is the Defence Minister. The two Defence Ministers are all from the North,” he said.
He cited the Federal University and Federal Medical Centre in Southern Kaduna as examples of projects that had addressed long-standing demands.
“For us in Southern Kaduna, we cannot lie that things have not improved,” he said.
He said the Federal Medical Centre was particularly significant because residents had sought the facility since the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“And today, we have it on a platter of gold. And so, we should be able to acknowledge that, at least, things have improved,” he said.
Hayab, however, urged northerners to monitor how increased allocations to states were being utilised.
He stressed that acknowledging the administration’s achievements did not amount to endorsing everything it had done.
“They want to blame the man in Abuja. When he is bad, we will tell him. But in this case, I think he is right,” he said.
“If I do not praise them just because I don’t like them, then I’m not a good Christian. I don’t believe in that.
“But the North cannot pretend to say that it has not benefited from this government.”
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