Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has condemned northern Nigerian leaders for their failure to drive meaningful development in the region, despite holding power for over four decades.
Dogara made the remarks on Friday during a town hall meeting organized for Christian leaders in northern Nigeria. The event, themed “Church and Society: Tax Reforms and Matters Arising,” served as a platform to address governance, economic reforms, and regional development challenges.
In his address, Dogara expressed dismay over the persistent underdevelopment and poverty plaguing the North, attributing it to the lack of visionary leadership and poor governance by northern elites.
He dismissed narratives suggesting that Nigeria’s current leadership or the southern region was responsible for the North’s woes. Instead, he urged northerners to engage in critical introspection regarding the region’s historical leadership.
“We are all northerners, and it must be clearly stated that President Bola Tinubu or the South is not our problem. They have not come to cheat the North,” Dogara asserted.
He countered claims that the Yoruba ethnic group disproportionately benefits from political appointments under the current administration, urging his audience to reflect on the North’s extensive period of governance.
“Some people claim that Yoruba leaders are receiving appointments, but let us reflect deeply. We have ruled this country for over 40 years when northerners were at the helm of affairs. What did we achieve during those years? The North remains stagnant and impoverished – not because of outsiders but due to the actions and inactions of our own leaders,” he stated.
Dogara’s comments have reignited conversations about leadership accountability, economic inequality, and the need for transformative policies in northern Nigeria.
Observers note that the North, despite its political dominance, continues to grapple with high rates of poverty, insecurity, and limited access to education and healthcare.
The former Speaker’s remarks underscore a growing call for self-examination and greater responsibility among northern leaders to bridge the developmental gap and address systemic challenges facing the region.
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