Tinubu not marginalising North, he deserves second term like Buhari – Presidency

• Onanuga asked Northern politicians to be patient as it is the turn of the South to rule the country and they must allow the region to complete its two terms

The presidency has said that claims that President Bola Tinubu is not treating the North fairly and marginalising the region are false and misleading.

This is even as it asserted that President Tinubu has the constitutional right to seek re-election, just like his predecessor, the late Muhammadu Buhari.

The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made the assertion during an interview with Trust Radio on Wednesday.

Onanuga asked Northern politicians to be patient as it is the turn of the South to rule the country and they must allow the region to complete its two terms, noting that the South had equally waited through Buhari’s eight-year tenure.

He stated that claims of marginalisation by the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, are a subtle attempt to undermine the Tinubu-led administration.

The presidential aide stressed that the criticisms aimed at President Tinubu are part of a calculated effort to weaken his government based on his Southern origin.

“This president is a Nigerian. He deserves the same two terms that Buhari had. Let’s not sacrifice the country for personal ambition,” he said.

Speaking on the allegations of lopsided and skewed federal appointments favouring the Southwest, Onanuga challenged critics to substantiate their claims with irrefutable facts instead of relying on conjectures.

Onanuga equally refuted concerns over neglected infrastructure in the North, noting that the Tinubu administration inherited a backlog of incomplete and abandoned projects from previous governments.

He cited the appointment of Northerners to key security positions as evidence of fair and balanced representation under President Tinubu’s administration, also stating that the security situation in the country has improved.

“You need to get your statistics right. It’s all political mischief designed to undermine the President. There are bad roads across the country, not just in the North.

“The National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff, and the two Defence Ministers are all Northerners. Places like Birnin Gwari and Igabi (in Kaduna) are now safer. I drove from Kaduna to Abuja without incident, a once unthinkable journey,” he stated