EXCLUSIVE: “Northcentral Considered Political Wheelbarrow”, Ex-Minister Kicks Ahead 2027 Presidency

• Barrister Solomon Dalung has said most politicians from the northcentral region of Nigeria are usually “used and dumped”
• In an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, Dalung said Nigeria is not ready to do justice to the people of the northcentral region
• The former minister lamented that the powers that be operate a “wicked and callous strategy”

FCT, Abuja - Former minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has bemoaned the “unjust” treatment of the northcentral geopolitical zone especially as it concerns the Nigerian presidency.

The zone has never produced either a president or vice-president since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999.

'Northcentral has been rewarded with nothing', Dalung

Dalung told Legit.ng in an exclusive interview that most government actors in the country consider the region “a political wheelbarrow”, demanding fairness for the Northcentral.

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The Plateau-born politician said:

“There is even no commitment from the political actors that the zone deserves any of these two positions.

“The northcentral had remained the fetchers of water for the Nigerian federation. The people of the northcentral are considered like political wheelbarrows. When there is a need to carry the load, they immediately go for a man from the middle-belt. Once you successfully discharge the burden of carrying the load, you will be kicked out.

“Since 1999, the zone has been unjustly and unfairly treated. Look at the history of all the national chairmen of PDP and APC, majority of them are from the northcentral. And majority of the chairmen that delivers the government are from the northcentral. But immediately after the election, they will be kicked out. Chief Solomon Lar delivered the PDP in 1999, he was kicked out immediately after the election. Gemade (Barnabas), Audu Ogbeh, all came in, Ahmadu Ali, all are great sons of the middle-belt. They were all used and dumped.

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"The current scenario is what the Bola Tinubu administration did to the northcentral. The national chairman of the APC was zoned to the people of the northcentral. Abdullahi Adamu who did not even have interest was dragged to become the national chairman. After delivering Tinubu’s government, he has been kicked out. Even the position which was supposed to be for the people of northcentral till 2027 was taken away. Today, the northcentral zone has nothing. It doesn’t have any strategic position. The only thing we have is the secretary to the government of the federation (George Akume) who is more or less a clerk of the cabinet.

“So, that there is hope for the zone in 2027 is not clear. Nigeria is not ready to do justice to the people of the northcentral. As for Nigeria, the people of the northcentral are mere political tools to be used at the convenience of their political interest.”

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EXCLUSIVE: "Tinubu's call for sacrifice suicidal, Nigerians are suffering", says ex-minister Dalung

Dalung said, "unfortunately", political leaders in the zone “have not realised this wicked and callous strategy”.

'Tinubu's govt need to be exemplary', Dalung

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Dalung described a recent call by President Tinubu for Nigerians to 'sacrifice a little more' as "suicidal".

Dalung, who served during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s first term in office, chided the incumbent president over the comment.

Source: Legit.ng