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“The Emir Was Crying” — Tinubu’s Late-Night Visit to Birnin Gwari Sparks Emotional Reaction, Says APC’s Dahiru

By Erewunmi Peace

Dr. Mohammed Dahiru, a top-ranking member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Chairman of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer, has revealed an emotional moment from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s outreach to the North.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on Arise News on Saturday, August 2, 2025, Dahiru recounted a late-night visit to Birnin Gwari, a banditry-troubled area in Kaduna State. According to him, President Tinubu arrived at around 10 p.m., prompting a deeply moving response from the Emir.

“We drove to Birnin Gwari around 10 p.m. The Emir was crying. He said nobody has ever come to visit him,” Dahiru stated.

Dahiru emphasized that the President assured the Emir of a commitment to tackle the region’s long-standing security challenges. “And he’s addressing it,” he added, referencing renewed military efforts and recent security sector appointments.

This revelation comes amid criticisms that the Tinubu-led administration has neglected parts of Northern Nigeria. Dahiru dismissed such claims, instead blaming some Northern elites for not taking advantage of available opportunities.

He pointed to Tinubu’s agricultural policy promises, particularly the Irrigate Nigeria initiative already launched in Bauchi State, as proof of the President’s dedication to development in the region.

“He promised us that he’s going to do agriculture… The issue in Northern Nigeria is that you cannot farm all year round. And he said, ‘I’m going to address that,’” Dahiru explained.

On national inclusivity, he noted:

“We have the National Security Adviser from the North. The Chief of Defense Staff is from the North. Two Ministers of Defense are from the North. And we are seeing progress in fighting bandits.”

Dahiru called out regional leadership for inaction on recently decentralized policies such as power generation, arguing that states now have the capacity to attract investment but are not stepping up.

“In the North, we have abundant solar. I haven’t seen the Arewa Consultative Forum or the Northern Governors Forum coming up with blueprints. The opportunity is there.”

He concluded with a warning against the North’s over-reliance on federal solutions:

“If you’re given the opportunity to govern yourself, and they’re not working for Northern Nigeria, is it the President’s fault?”

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