The Ogun Deep Seaport Project And Tinubu’s Exclusionist Policies And Politics Of Regional Dominance -By Hajia Hadiza Mohammed

Since Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu left Nigeria for France on a three-week vacation, a lot of things has been happening in quick succession. The first was the exit of Uber, the American-based logistics company that closed its business in Nigeria. This was followed by the report of the American PR lobbying and policy advisory firm Von-Batten that an ally of Tinubu has offered one of its partners and founder, Dr. Karl Von-batten a $3 million bribe and an invitation for a confidential meeting in London. Following this was the intensive call for the release of the Tinubu FBI criminal files and appeal by Tinubu to the US authorities to keep the file secret.

And as if to divert attention away from the scandals of the Tinubu past criminal record, the APC and Tinubu stooges came up with Wike and his Rainbow coalition controversy followed by the Soludo’s smear campaign against Peter Obi and Jimoh Ibrahim’s (Nigerian Permanent Representative at the UN) earlier declaration that Tinubu would be attending the 81st UNGA session in New-York. Then the news came that Tinubu would not be attending; something attributed to fear of being arrested as a result of his past drug-related crimes. Vice-president Kashim Shettima was sent to represent Nigeria at the UNGA event; making it the third time that Tinubu would be absent at the global event.

And twice Tinubu has postponed his return to the country and yet has not transmitted power to Kashim Shettima as the constitution requires after mandatory 21 days. Unconfirmed report has it that Tinubu is seriously sick and may not be returning to the country soon for the Nigeria’s 66th independent anniversary ceremony.

And from his hideout in France or wherever he is said to be hibernating, we learnt that he has approved $7 billion Ogun Seaport, followed by another controversial deal mortgaging the country’s solid mineral resources in $700 billion suspicious deal to America and a request to the National Assembly for approval to take another loan of $1.5 billion from the World Bank.

I will take them one by one. But I will start from the $7 billion Ogun Deep Sea Port deal. On the 24th of September, 2026, Tinubu in France awarded a contract for the construction of the Gateway Deep Seaport in Ogun Waterside plus the Blue Marine Economic Zone to DP World; a planned 10,000-hectare industrial and logistics hub with an initial investment projected at over $7 billion. The purpose, Tinubu said is to decongest Lagos Ports and create more jobs. The question here is why the concentration of all the ports in the Southwest. Is the Southwest the only region that has a coast line? Why are the ports in the East and the South-south region not developed?

Recall that earlier on Tinubu has awarded a contract valued at about $1 billion, approximately N1.4 trillion, to the ITB Nigeria Limited and Hitech Construction, both subsidiaries of the Chagoury Group, for the total modernization and reconstruction of Apapa and Tin Can Island ports. Under the finance agreement of this contract, the Citibank will provide the funds which would be guaranteed by the UK Export Finance (UKEF) in return for at least £236 million worth of supply contracts to British companies, including British Steel supplying 120,000 tonnes of steel billets.

When this done, the number of ports in the Southwest alone will 5 namely: Apapa Port, Tin Can Island Port, Lekki Port, Badagry Port and now Ogun Deep Sea Port while the ports in the entire eastern flank are left moribund and abandoned. Port-Harcourt Port is shallow and abandoned, Onne, Warri and Koko ports are abandoned also. Calabar port with best natural harbor is underutilized. It is on record that the beginning of this regime, Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has applied for approval to develop the Azumini-Obeaku Seaport but there has not been any response from the federal government.

From all of these it is clear to everybody including his supporters that Tinubu’s Yorubanization policy is real. Tinubu has shown as was earlier reported of him that he does not believe in one Nigeria. Tinubu has formed the worst exclusionist government in the history of Nigeria. Over 60% of his total appointments and over 80% of his key appointments went to his Yoruba kinsmen. Cronyism, nepotism and mediocrity have been his modus operandi. And now all major federal government spending and investment is centered in the Southwest and in his tax reform document, he wants the bulk of the VAT revenue given back to his region. This is suppression. This is politics of regional dominance.

The government cannot use our common wealth to develop a particular region and then turn back to claim that that region is contributing more to revenue without discounting the cost of maintaining our common assets domiciled in the region. Tinubu has demonstrated in the last three years that he is the president of the Yoruba nation and not that of the entire nation. He has shown total disregard for our federal character. He has shown that he cannot share power and cannot be trusted.

Nigerians must rise to challenge this lopsided use and abuse of our resources by Tinubu. If Tinubu is given another term, he would move the capital of Nigeria back to Lagos as it is known that he has a second office in Dodan Barracks Lagos and has moved some government offices to Lagos. We must ensure that we vote in 2027 presidential election and take back our country. “Tinubu Must Go!” is a project that must be executed if this country must survive. Long live Nigeria!

Hajia Hadiza Mohammed
hajiahadizamohammed@gmail.com
An actress, social activist, politician
London, UK.