Dogara slams Northern leaders: “40 years in power, yet North remains impoverished”

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has laid blame for the challenges faced by northern Nigeria squarely on the region’s leadership.

Speaking at a town hall meeting with Christian leaders in northern Nigeria on the Tax Reform Bills, Dogara criticised northern leaders for impoverishing the region during their extended tenure in power.

In a striking statement, Dogara dismissed the notion that President Bola Tinubu or southern Nigerians are responsible for the North’s struggles.

“We are all northerners, and it should be made clear that President Tinubu or the South is not our problem. They have not come to cheat the North. That is out of the question,” he declared.

Addressing grievances over appointments favouring Yoruba individuals, Dogara urged northerners to engage in introspection.

“Some are claiming that Yoruba people are getting appointments, but let’s reflect. We ruled this country for over 40 years when northerners were in power. What did we achieve? The North remains the same, impoverished by our own leaders,” he said.

Dogara’s candid remarks have sparked debate about the role of northern leadership in addressing the region’s socio-economic challenges and the need for genuine reforms to uplift the region.