Zulum storms Aso Rock with North East governors, demanding urgent action on 17 key roads and oil exploration in Kolmani and Lake Chad.
Abuja, Nigeria – In a dramatic move that signals rising urgency over development in the North East, Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, on Wednesday led a delegation of fellow governors to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where they confronted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with a list of pressing demands.
At the high-stakes meeting, the governors insisted on the immediate completion of 17 abandoned and ongoing road projects across the region and pushed for the revival of oil exploration in the long-neglected Kolmani and Lake Chad frontier wells.
Who Was in the Room
The closed-door talks brought together key political heavyweights of the North East, including Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Bala Muhammad (Bauchi), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), and Agbu Kefas (Taraba).
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The Governors’ Explosive Demands
Zulum, who doubles as chairman of the North East Governors Forum (NEGF), reeled out a list of projects the zone can no longer wait for. Among them are:
Kano–Maiduguri Road
Port Harcourt–Jos–Bauchi–Maiduguri Railway Line
Bama–Mubi–Yola Road
Wukari–Jalingo–Yola Road
Duguri–Mansur Road (NNPC Project)
Bauchi–Gombe–Biu–Damaturu Road
Damaturu–Geidam Road
Bauchi–Ningi–Nasaru–Babaldo Road
Gombe–Potiskum–Damaturu–Biu Roads
Alkaleri–Futuk Road
Maiduguri–Damboa–Yola Road
Gombe–Dukku–Darazo Road
Biu–Gombe Road
Ibi–Shamdam Road
Maiduguri–Monguno–Baga Road
Maiduguri–Ngala–Bama–Banki Roads
Security and Agriculture on the Agenda
Beyond roads, Zulum credited Tinubu for sustaining the fight against insurgency but stressed that more must be done to strengthen security. He pledged the governors’ support for federal efforts in technology-driven military operations, manpower training, and large-scale agricultural development to align with the Renewed Hope Agenda on food security.
“We hold you in high esteem, Mr. President, and stand ready to partner with you to deliver good governance and lasting legacies for Nigeria,” Zulum assured.
Tinubu’s Reassurance
President Tinubu, in response, acknowledged the urgency of the governors’ demands and promised that his administration would not neglect the infrastructure and economic needs of the North East.