Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has accused Lagos of economically exploiting northern Nigeria, particularly Kano State. Speaking at the convocation ceremony of Skyline University in Kano, the former governor criticized Lagos for imposing taxes and centralizing economic power to the detriment of northern states.
“We are aware that young men in Lagos are working hard to impose taxes and take away revenue from Kano and this region to Lagos,” Kwankwaso said.
He further accused Lagos of interfering in Kano’s emirate system, asserting that decisions on local leadership are being dictated externally.
“Lagos has made efforts to colonize this part of the country. Today, they wouldn’t allow us to choose an emir; instead, Lagos seeks to insert itself into the heart of Kano to impose their own emir,” he alleged.
Kwankwaso expressed concerns about broader challenges facing northern Nigeria, including insecurity, poverty, and economic instability. He emphasized that these issues are compounded by the alleged economic exploitation by Lagos, which, he argued, undermines the region’s autonomy.
The NNPP leader lamented that tax revenues generated in northern states are often redirected to Lagos, even when the businesses and individuals paying these taxes are based locally.
“Efforts are being made to ensure taxes from telephones registered here in Kano are sent to Lagos. Even northern entrepreneurs with factories and banks here in Kano are pressured to relocate their headquarters to Lagos, transferring their tax revenues there,” he claimed.
Kwankwaso urged lawmakers from northern Nigeria to protect the region’s interests and resist attempts to centralize power and wealth in Lagos. He recalled past grievances, including financial inducements allegedly offered to northern representatives during Nigeria’s early democratic years, which he said had long-lasting negative effects on the region’s economy.
He concluded with a call for vigilance and action to address these challenges, warning that failure to act would deepen the socio-economic divide between the regions.
