Forget Roads and Bridges – What Northern Nigeria Really Needs is Unity, Says APC’s Alwan Hassan

A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alwan Hassan, has stirred conversation with a bold statement: Northern Nigeria doesn’t need infrastructure from the Federal Government — it needs unity.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Hassan said the real challenge facing the North is not the absence of roads, buildings, or other government projects, but deep-rooted religious and ethnic divisions.

“We don’t need infrastructure from the federal government in the north. What we need in northern Nigeria is unity, and they know it,” he stated.

According to him, the North already has enough natural and human resources to thrive. With vast lands, 424 local governments, and untapped economic potential, the region is rich — but its progress is held back by disunity.

He pointed to several examples of marginalization based on religion and ethnicity:

An Idoma man is not being able to govern Benue State.

A Muslim being unable to lead the Plateau State House of Assembly.

A Christian minority in Borno is being blocked from the governorship.

A Christian in Kwara is facing resistance to becoming governor.

“These are our problems — religion and tribe. Let there be one religion, one tribe, and that should be Northern Nigeria,” Hassan said.

He stressed that even with fertile lands and opportunities, insecurity and religious violence prevent people from farming and contributing to the economy.

“Christians are killing Muslims, and Muslims are killing Christians. I don’t want this Christian to be that, I don’t want this Muslim to be this. That’s the problem,” he concluded.

Hassan’s remarks have sparked widespread discussion online, with many Nigerians reflecting on the social and political divisions that continue to affect the North’s growth.