₦airaland Forum

I saw a video where a member of house of reps from the East was trying to point out the evil exclusion of South East from the light rail project and the speaker shut him down and then another member raised the issue and the speaker rather said that 'may be',if there happens to be a supplement budget,then hey will see if South East can be accommodated in it.
...and people are busy criticising secessionist groups and militants when there is no justice in the land.
'You cant experience peace in the absent of justice'!
The contraption called Nigeria is not working,we are only postponing the evil day!!!

*A Critique of the 2025 Rail Allocation: Systemic Exclusion of the South East and South South and the Perpetuation of Nigeria’s Destructive Contradictions*

By Agbeze Ireke Kalu Onuma

The allocation of N400 billion in Nigeria’s 2025 national budget for light rail projects in Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna, and Kano states is not merely an oversight—it is a glaring, deliberate act of exclusion that reinforces decades of systemic marginalization against the South East and South South regions. This decision, sanctioned by the National Assembly and tacitly endorsed by the executive, exemplifies the federal government’s reckless disregard for equity, justice, and national cohesion. It is a slap in the face to the very regions whose resources bankroll the Nigerian economy, and it raises urgent questions about the government’s commitment to resolving the structural inequalities that threaten the nation’s survival.

The 2025 budget allocates N150 billion to Kano, N100 billion each to Ogun and Kaduna, and N50 billion to Lagos for light rail projects. Additionally, Lagos receives N146.14 billion for the Lagos Green Line Metro Rail Phase 1, bringing its total rail allocation to N196.14 billion. Meanwhile, the South East and South South—regions that contribute over 80% of Nigeria’s oil revenue, the lifeblood of the national treasury—receive nothing.

This disparity is not accidental. It reflects a pattern of federal spending that prioritizes political expediency over developmental logic. Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna, and Kano are either political strongholds of the ruling party or regions represented by influential lawmakers. The South East and South South, historically sidelined in federal projects, are once again relegated to the periphery.

Nigeria’s economy survives on oil extracted predominantly from the Niger Delta (South South) and, to a lesser extent, the South East. Despite this, these regions suffer catastrophic neglect in infrastructure investment. The Niger Delta remains a wasteland of environmental degradation, poverty, and militancy, while the South East grapples with crumbling roads, dilapidated seaports, and nonexistent rail networks.

The 2025 rail budget is a microcosm of this injustice. The federal government collects trillions in oil revenue from the South South and South East but channels infrastructure funds to regions with minimal revenue contributions. This is not just inequitable—it is economic sabotage. It perpetuates a colonial-style extraction model where resources are looted from the South to develop the North and Southwest, breeding resentment and instability.

The N400 billion rail allocation was added by lawmakers after President Tinubu’s initial proposal. Why were these four states singled out? What criteria justified their selection? Population density? Economic activity? Existing rail infrastructure? None of these arguments hold:
- Lagos already has ongoing rail projects (e.g., the Blue and Red Lines) and receives disproportionate federal attention.
- Kano and Kaduna are part of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano standard gauge rail, which has consumed billions in loans. Why duplicate efforts?
- The South East, home to densely populated cities like Onitsha, Aba, and Enugu, lacks a single functional rail line. Port Harcourt, the Niger Delta’s economic hub, remains disconnected from national rail networks.

Rail projects are constitutionally a federal responsibility, yet the government selectively intervenes in states based on political alignment. If Lagos, Kano, and others deserve federal rail grants, why not Abia, Rivers, or Akwa Ibom?

The N400 billion is ambiguously labeled as “support”—likely loans that indebted states will struggle to repay. Meanwhile, oil-producing states bear the ecological and social costs of extraction without commensurate investment.

Why does the Nigerian state treat the South East and South South with such contempt? The answers lie in a toxic mix of historical prejudice, political vendettas, and economic exploitation:

The South East has faced and continues to face institutionalized marginalization since the 1970s, viewed through the lens of post-war “reintegration” that never came.

On the other hand, the Niger Delta’s oil wealth has made it a target for control by successive regimes, while its people are denied basic amenities.

The South East and South South increasingly vote against the ruling party, making them expendable in a patronage-driven system.

This exclusion is not passive—it is active violence. By denying critical infrastructure to regions already battered by unemployment, insecurity, and environmental ruin, the government is sowing seeds of discord. The #EndSARS protests and Niger Delta militancy are precursors to the explosions that await if this marginalization continues.

Federal policies toward the South East and South South have been a litany of broken promises:

The East-West Road, a 361km artery linking the South South, remains unfinished after 20 years and N400 billion spent.

The Coastal Railway project, proposed in 2014 to connect Lagos to Calabar, has been shelved indefinitely.

The Second Niger Bridge, delayed for decades, was only completed after public outcry.

The Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line, launched with fanfare in 2021, has seen minimal progress.

In contrast, Northern and Southwestern projects are fast-tracked. The Lagos-Ibadan rail, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano line, and even the controversial Kano-Maradi line (prioritizing Niger Republic over Nigerian regions) enjoy relentless funding.

To avoid the implosion that has been simmering underneath, the N400 billion should be redistributed to include rail projects in the South East (e.g., Enugu-Onitsha-Port Harcourt line) and South South (e.g., Calabar-Uyo-Aba line).

A thorough Legislative review of the various aspects of the budgeting allocations must be embarked in, which will mandate proportional infrastructure investment based on revenue contributions. Implement the Petroleum Industry Act’s Host Communities Fund without further delays.

Publish detailed criteria for project selection. Involve regional stakeholders in the National Assembly’s appropriation process.

Cancel purported “loans” for rail projects and instead allocate grants to offset ecological debts owed to the Niger Delta.

Address historical grievances through truth and reconciliation initiatives. Restructure Nigeria’s federalism to empower regions economically.

Nigeria cannot survive as a nation where entire regions are treated as conquered territories. The 2025 rail budget is not just a developmental failure—it is an existential threat. By excluding the South East and South South, the government is telling their people, “You do not matter.” But these regions will not remain passive forever. The militancy, agitations, and mass disillusionment are warnings.

If Nigeria is to endure, it must confront its contradictions head-on. Equity is not a favor—it is a right. The South East and South South deserve more than crumbs from a table they built. Until this truth is acknowledged, Nigeria will remain a fractured nation, teetering on the brink of catastrophe.

©️ AI-KO
February 22nd 2025
Iagbeze@msn.com

I wish them more blessed and wonderful years together.

Congrats to PDP,congrats to there amiable governor,His excellency Mr Adeleke, for his effort in ensuring a free and fair elections devoid of irregularities.
I hope they are immediately sworn in,as the people in the grass root are eagerly waiting for them to come and fix things.

Great0ne1:
Loud it brother. He also confessed that the only reason why ojukwu declared state of biafra was because gowon couldn't gaurantee the safety of igbos living in the north and other parts of Nigeria. Ojukwu was drawn into the war, and he stood by his people against all odds. Ojukwu, a man I have so much respect and admiration for.
I hope clowns like helinues and Madridguy will not call babangida an ipob

Say no more...bros I no fit shout!

Alliswell248:
In your little mind,anybody online who criticize obi is hungry.
Even if dangote is here, and criticise obi, he is hungry.
To you, obi is untouchable.

Keep deceiving your fellow headless mob

You sound empty,when the topic is not about Peter Obi and all of a sudden an online tout calls him out,just for the sake of criticism.
It seems APC supporters are about the dullest people on earth,prove me wrong!

UltraSolid:
You're the one who is hungry and your talk expose you as such. Those who are rich are above above reproach and criticism?

Going by your dumb and sycophantic reasoning that reeks of poor man's mentality and behaviour, those bitterly insulting and condemning Buhari for plunging this nation into economic ruins should not speak either because Buhari is richer than them ba? Mugu.

Like I rightly said,hungry online touts like you whom have lost the ability to reason properly,are the ones criticising a man in the calibre of Peter Obi.
I guess you didn't see where I mentioned in the calibre of Peter Obi,'calibre' used in terms of his integrity and what he stands for,and you went ahead to cite example with a total failure and an incompetent Buhari that set the nation 50yrs back and bequeathed on us another calamity of a president,in the person of Tinubu.

Scumberger:
Na everybody wey insult obi hunger dey catch, can't you try a new line? And the fact that it's coming from a poor fool is even more annoying

Of course,its only hungry and jobless online touts whom has lost the ability to reason for themselves will insult a man in the calibre of Peter Obi!...such people are called 'slaves that love their chains'.

MODs will intentionally avoid bringing to the frontpage the news of extracts of IBB's biography which clearly stated that the 1966 coup is not an Igbo coup as narrated by the Lagos Ibadan Parapo press and that the idea was to free Awolowo from prison to come and take over governance.
Sometime in January when Reno Omokri (Wendell Simlin),Fani Kayode and all other paid agents where writing on the 1966 coup to score a cheap point and to make sure that Igbos and northerners are kept apart from each other against any anticipated alliances against the government of the day,the nairaland frontpage was constantly been bombarded with events of the 1966 coup and the narratives that it is an Igbo coup.
Now,IBB whom was active in the army at that time and was in the picture of what happened,have spoken out on it but the tribal MODs,just like the Lagos Ibadan Parapo media houses,will avoid the news like a Plague.

Kalvan50:
There had to be some painful medicine taken. I’m seeing smart leadership from Tinubu in spite of the hate.

Inflation dropped from 35% to ~24% MOM
Debt yields have fallen to a 5 year low
Oil output has increased. In Jan, the country hit a 4 year high 1.54 million barrels, exceeding the

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-02-18/next-africa-has-nigeria-turned-a-corner-investors-think-so

I dont have time to start telling you in details the economic disaster this present government brought Nigeria into,as it's obvious that some of you may be irredeemably f*olish,if you live in Nigeria which obviously you do,you will only be pretending if you claim not to know they kind of hyper inflation as never Sean before in this country,that the ill decisions of this government led Nigeria into.
In this government,we became the poverty capital of the world,the middle class was wiped out,the number of out of school children increased astronomically,much more Nigerians started living below the poverty line,health care became unaffordable for the larger masses,all social amenities went haywire,multi national companies left the nation in there numbers while many indigenous companies closed down,unemployment went on record high,nepotism became institutionalized,insecurity is on the rising,financial recklessness of people in authority became obvious even in the midst of biting poverty,the body language of the president is not passing enough messages to others in authority that he detest corruption,our health care is in a mess while the leaders travel to France and other nations for medical tourism,Nigeria lost its respect in the comity of nations,ECOWAS broke into pieces because of ill timed decisions of the Nigerian leadership of the organisation,West African is now paying the price.i can go on and on.
All this Peter Obi known for his dexterity and empathy would have done differently.

TenQ:
It is not the Qur'an that suggests that black people will go to hell but the Hadiths of Mohammed

What is the difference between the words of the Korean and that of the hadith?...is the Hadith not a book of authority in Islam?pls I need an explanation?

Reno Omokri is the true example of 'he who pays the piper,dictates the tune'....the young man is struggling to survive albeit in the wrong way.

Which one is K Jeff,because he is Yoruba,they are hiding his first name....in another forum,his name is Kehinde Jeff!

Yorubas are culturally wired for propaganda!It is very hard for a Yoruba man to come out straight forward in anything,it is in there DNA,reason they always make wrong and highly sentimental decisions during elections. You can go back in history and follow the trend,its a pattern that they can never wish away. Treachery!Treachery!!is there way of life.
But there are also a lot of good Yorubas out there but they bad ones are always in the forefront!

ChirstFireAltar:
Tell your father to release Nigeria money in his custody.

..and the president whom arrested him is not holding Nigerian money. Yeye dey smell!!!

These people always painting Nigeria bad!The saddest aspect of it,is that the whites wont know there ethnic group as Yorubas,all they see is Nigerians.,,,I still wonder why most Yoruba Oba's always have fraudulent history.
Imagine money meant for covid 19,this is so sad.

lexy2014:
Are you not a genius?


1. Professor Genius, how does your response answer the following questions?

2. how does a governor budget N15Billion For 4-Star Hotel and only N195Million For 650 Primary Healthcare Centres and you say he "firing from all cylinders"?

3. what are the ancillary buildings he is building?

4. what is the benefit of the Awka city park, new government house, lodge and the ten story hotel?

5. which "opposition party" are you referring to?

I am not holding brief for Soludo as I have my own reservations but we have governors in this country whom has budgeted over 20billion for education yearly and yet nothing to show for it,bulk of the money goes into overhead cost and the rest for the 'boys'.Here comes a governor whom have been relatively accountable in his activities and not venturing into reckless loans.Let him judiciously apply the one he budgeted for education and you will see wonders.

Anambra may be a dream come true very soon....massive constructions going on in every nook and cranny of the state.An African paradise in the making.It should be the pride of every black person.

Collateral damage....that's evil!

I knew when the truth about the actual situation surrounding the denial of Visa to the defence minister comes out,we shall all hide our faces in shame. Nigeria is a theatre of the absurd,at a time when Nigerians are gnashing their teeths in severe lack,as usual the irresponsible government have more than enough fund to play around with,imagine sending over 70 security personnel to Canada for an event,who does that? in the midst of biting hardship.
Our leaders are gravely wicked and they do things with impunity and reckless abandon.

beerfraud:
dey play
90% of my thread hit front page

Let's clap for you,award winning thread creator....your mates elsewhere are bringing innovations through the internet space but you pride yourself as a known riff-raff whom spends the better part of his life fighting for tribal superiority and feeding from peanuts thrown to him by APC online media crew.
Guy,10yrs from now when you must have grown over petty issues,you will look back at your wasteful years and understand that you where actually a victim of the same institution you represent as an online warrior and that's when you will realise how unfortunate your life has been.

TheChameleon:
Nz0gbu Nz0gbu c0ward ch3stb3ating... see what it has caused.

The 2 brothers were fighting over who would wear the skirt and hide under the bed 🛌 Monday.

I wanted to insult you for the rubbish you wrote,however on seeing your user name (chameleon),it is self explanatory...it actually depicted your tribe,those slippery and treacherous people.Once more,thanks for at least using a username that truly paints the picture of your Yoruba people!

Soludo is doing well in infrastructures without mortgaging the future of our unborn kids through reckless borrowing like the FG and some state governors elsewhere are doing.
Once more,big congrats to the good people of Anambra!

This Odua group seems to be the most irresponsible regional body,going by there activities in recent times.A regional body that should be more concerned in galvanising south west youthful population into meaningful ventures,through investment in productive sectors as its obtainable all over the world.They rather spend scarce resources in renovation of regional hotels,I ask,of what purpose?
Are they not bothered at the scary numbers of south west youths wasting away in the streets,from political taunting,Omonile,Agberoism,motor park unionism(gangsterism),prostitution,yahoo plus, ritualists or at best selling Agbo. A region Awolowo gave free education,what are they now giving back to these youths.

We heard worst from Wike,Bwala,Reno Omokri against APC but they are all now in the pay roll of APC...so no big deal!That's your usual Nigerian politics.

They want Muslim muslim ticket,some from the south west said they want to teach Igbos a lesson therefore they will continue in there cycle of wrong decisions during elections.They joined forces in the flawed elections,now they are at each others throat.
Deuteronomy 28:7 'The Lord will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you. They will march out against you from one direction but flee from you in seven directions'.
Karma is a bitch!

We know the politics involved in Kanu's incarceration,they dont want to release him,so that they insecurity in the East will continue and using the fifth columnists to continue destabilising the East.
Even Asari Dokubo once confessed on there private military operation in the East and was fully contracted by the government for this clandestine operation.It wasn't investigated,it was swept under the carpet because it is 'the hands of Esau and voice of Jacob'.
We are watching with kin interest,Nigeria is a theatre of the absurd and a tragedy waiting to happen.Posterity will definitely be on the side of truth.

Inspite of having the first motorized road,they are still living in the past. Why cant they embark on rural and urban renewal or re-engineering of Ibadan.It has remained an eyesore,and its aerial pictures can only be good for comic relief.How can a people be so archaic,crude and unrefined,that they will forever want to live in the past.
Or in the interim, the federal government can evacuate they people of Ibadan to elsewhere in the south west and declare national emergency on structures and see how far they can go in rebuilding these mega slums called Ibadan.
Or except there is a plan to declare it a national heritage site,where people can go and see how ancient structures with rusty roofs where in Africa in post-colonial days.

Allow this guy rest....in his voice ' E be like say dey want to tell us another story again'. Bloggers are trying so hard to cash out from peoples misfortunes.

Ekiti airport....I hope this won't turn to cow grazing field.How viable is it?Except Abuja to Lagos flight will stop over in Ekiti to onboard one or two passengers in Ekiti,may be once a month.I doubt any airline will take such financial risk.

This is intellectual rascality,for an institution of higher learning to be identifying with certain characters rather than those whom should be able to mentor there students in a positive way.

Meanwhile,congrats to Yaradau for being posthumously recognised,continue to rest in peace,you are fondly remembered!Nigerians are proud of you.

Nigerian did well in neutralising those terrorists in there enclaves but to hoist our flag in a place which is originally our territory,is an admission that Nigeria had earlier lost part of its territories to some ragtag terrorists.
Or are we in contest with any group for the ownership of parts of Zamfara/Sokoto?Or is there something we are not been told?
Once more kudos to the military for the great job of dislodging those id*its!