Why Kwankwaso Believes Lagos is ‘Colonising’ Northern Nigeria

Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano State and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has alleged that Lagos is deliberately trying to dominate Northern Nigeria.

Speaking at the convocation ceremony of Skyline University on Sunday in Kano, Kwankwaso criticised the proposed tax reform bills and accused Lagos-based interests of interfering in the region’s cultural and economic affairs.

“Today, we can see very clearly that there is a lot of effort from the Lagos axis to colonise this part of the country,” he stated.

Kwankwaso expressed concern over what he described as undue meddling in Kano’s emirship dispute and economic policies targeting the North.

The Emirship Controversy

The former governor’s remarks come amid the backdrop of an ongoing emirship tussle in Kano State.

In 2019, then-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Kwankwaso’s estranged political ally, enacted a law splitting Kano into five emirates, leading to the removal of Muhammadu Sanusi II as Emir.

However, Sanusi was reinstated on May 23, 2024, following the passage of the Kano State Emirates Council (Amendment No. 2) Law by the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, an ally of Kwankwaso.

This new law nullified the earlier legislation and restored the Kano Emirate to its original structure, leading to the ousting of Aminu Bayero as Emir, who still claim the throne.

Although Kwankwaso consistently used “Lagos,” which is not Nigeria’s centre of power, it is often used to refer to President Bola Tinubu, who served as the governor of the state from 1999 to 2007 and is still believed to command significant influence over what happens in the state.

“Lagos wouldn’t allow us to choose our Emir. Lagos has to come to the centre of Kano to install their own Emir,” he said.

Also Read: What You Should Know About The History of The 16 Emirs Who Have Ruled Kano Since 1805

Tax Reform and Economic Concerns

Kwankwaso also took aim at the federal government’s proposed tax reforms, which he claims disproportionately harm the North. The reforms, introduced by President Tinubu in October, include four bills: the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill.

One contentious proposal is the revision of the Value Added Tax (VAT) sharing formula, which reduces the federal government’s share from 15% to 10%. However, the new formula includes a derivation principle that favours states where taxes are collected rather than where goods and services are consumed.

Kwankwaso argued that these changes are designed to benefit Lagos at the expense of the North.

“Today, young men from Lagos are working so hard to impose and take away our taxes from Kano and this part of the country to Lagos,” he alleged.

The Northern Governors’ Forum, chaired by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, has also rejected the bills. In a communiqué issued after a meeting on October 29, the forum described the proposed reforms as inequitable and instructed northern lawmakers to oppose them.

“This is because companies remit VAT based on the location of their headquarters and tax office, rather than where the services and goods are consumed,” Yahaya said.

While the governors acknowledged the need for reforms, they called for fairness.

“The forum calls for equity and fairness in implementing all national policies and programs to ensure that no geopolitical zone is short-changed or marginalised,” Yahaya added.

Broader Implications

Kwankwaso warned that these economic policies, coupled with the region’s existing challenges of insecurity, poverty, and unemployment, could worsen the plight of Northerners. He urged members of the National Assembly to resist any legislation that might jeopardise the region’s interests.

“Today, this part of the country is suffering from a serious economic crunch, insecurity, poverty, hunger, and diseases. I call on our lawmakers to keep their eyes open so that they don’t do anything that will cheat the people of northern Nigeria,” Kwankwaso said.