Former Deputy Governor of Kano State, Dr Hafiz Abubakar, has said claims of marginalisation from Northern leaders reflect a fundamental democratic expectation, arguing that voters who delivered electoral victory are entitled to see tangible dividends of their support.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, Abubakar said, “What we see in the North is that, actually, the North voted to make the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And in a democracy, you expect a dividend of your vote.”
He added, “The Northern part of this country gave the president the votes that made him president. I think that is a fundamental issue that should be addressed, and we are operating a democracy.”
According to him, dissatisfaction in the region stems from perceptions that those who voted against the president are receiving greater attention. “Whoever gives his vote expects a reward. And what I believe our people are saying is that they have not seen that reward. Others who voted even against the president now receive better attention than the ones that gave him the vote,” he said.
Abubakar noted that this sentiment would influence political calculations ahead of the next election cycle. “So it is a matter for those people now to rethink: if their vote was right, should they give it again? Is it going to get them any dividends from the practical experience of the 2023–2027 test?”he asked.
Despite the concerns, he expressed optimism that the situation could still be addressed. “As we move towards 2023–2027, there will be many alignments and efforts to engage the president and his people, and what I hope is that our president is a practical politician. I know he will address these people,”Abubakar said.
On the controversial Nigeria–France tax memorandum of understanding and proposed tax reforms expected to take effect in 2026, Abubakar urged caution, stressing the need for reforms to be carefully managed to avoid worsening poverty and inequality.
“I want to be very honest with you that I have not read the new tax law in depth to give an informed analysis,” he said. “But what I can say is that we need to appreciate efforts to reform and improve. We need to generate more revenue and address our developmental challenges, and tax reforms are part of that.”
However, he warned that reforms must not impose sudden hardship. “It has to be done in a way that people and the system can accommodate without fear and shock, because we are already facing poverty, inequality and unequal distribution of wealth and resources,”he said.
Abubakar explained that public suspicion around foreign involvement in taxation was rooted in historical experiences. “Whenever we mention a foreign country, people become suspicious. The world is now reminded of imperial pasts, so people are scared,”he said.
He clarified that cooperation should focus on capacity building rather than control. “If the memorandum of understanding is about improving our capacity, learning better systems of collection, management and accountability, people will not worry. But the moment people think foreign countries will be directly involved in collection and management, suspicion becomes extreme,”he stated.
On concerns about data breaches, Abubakar declined speculation. “I have not read the details of the MOU, so I am not in a position to give an informed opinion,” he said.
Turning to security and education, Abubakar commended the Kano State Government’s declaration of a state of emergency in education, describing it as a necessary intervention.
“I want to commend the Kano State governor for declaring an emergency on education and for allocating the largest share of the budget to the education sector,” he said. “We need to substantially improve infrastructure, teacher quality and numbers, as well as learning materials.”
He stressed that Kano’s large population of out-of-school children was not merely a state problem. “The issue of migration to Kano is a national issue. Kano State is a recipient of an international order. This is not a Kano problem; it is a Nigerian problem,”Abubakar said.
According to him, coordinated national and international interventions are required. “Both the national government and international organisations must complement state efforts in education and immigration management,” he added.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s security challenges and repeated changes in security leadership, Abubakar drew from personal experience. “I served as Special Assistant to the Federal Minister of Defence between 2003 and 2006, and I was part of the team that produced Nigeria’s first defence policy,”he said.
He suggested that addressing insecurity requires institutional coherence rather than constant leadership changes, although he did not elaborate further due to time constraints.
Boluwatife Enome
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