By David Akinadewo-Adekahunsi
A powerful call for sustained national unity and enhanced government-citizen engagement echoed through Arewa House, Kaduna, as the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF) concluded a two-day interactive session themed “Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government-Citizen Engagement for National Unity.”
Held yesterday and today, the gathering brought together a cross-section of Nigeria’s political, traditional, and civic leadership to evaluate the government’s performance and foster national cohesion.
The high-profile session saw President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ably represented by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, while Vice President Kashim Shettima was represented by Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar, Special Adviser on Special Duties.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State played host, with Gombe State Governor and Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum, Inuwa Yahaya, attending as Special Guest.
Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, led the federal delegation which included the National Security Adviser, federal ministers, agency heads, service chiefs, and other top functionaries, especially from the Northern region.
Stakeholders across sectors—including security agencies, civil society groups, academia, religious and traditional rulers, private sector actors, and development partners—assembled to assess the progress made on campaign promises, especially in areas key to Northern Nigeria.
Also in attendance were the leaderships of the SABMF and Arewa Consultative Forum, led by Muazu Babangida Aliyu and Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu respectively.
The keynote address, delivered by Professor Tijjani Mohammed Bande, GCON, laid bare the complexity of Nigeria’s national challenges, linking domestic issues to global currents.
He noted Nigeria’s resilience amid insecurity, poverty, and educational gaps, while urging the North to craft negotiation mechanisms that align its regional interests with national development aspirations.
Discussions throughout the session underscored Northern Nigeria’s vital role in political stability and economic growth, including its electoral support in the last presidential election.
Plenaries examined topics such as security, governance, the economy, agriculture, food security, infrastructure, and human capital development.
Participants lauded the government’s strides, citing commendable delivery on promises in security, economic reform, and infrastructure.
Key observations from the summit highlighted the government’s openness to dialogue, the urgency of addressing the Almajiri and out-of-school children crisis in the North, and the significance of equitable resource distribution to address developmental imbalances.
Progress on critical infrastructure—like highways, the AKK gas pipeline, Kolmani oil exploration, and irrigation schemes—was noted, alongside the strategic importance of agriculture and rural industrialisation.
The forum resolved that periodic institutionalised platforms for citizen-government engagement should be established at both national and subnational levels.
It further commended the administration’s delivery on electoral commitments and increased resource flows to state governments.
A robust call was made for urgent investment in education, particularly in the North, acceleration of infrastructure development, and strengthening of agricultural value chains and livestock production.
Participants advocated continued support for security and economic reforms through inclusive, community-led and non-violent strategies.
They also called for deeper civil society, traditional and religious leader involvement in policy advocacy, and urged the media to practise responsibility to build public trust and national cohesion.
The communiqué concluded with a collective commendation of President Tinubu’s efforts so far and an appeal for heightened transparency, fairness, and equity as necessary pillars for sustaining democracy and unity.
It reaffirmed the need for enduring collaboration among all arms of government, citizens, and stakeholders to ensure Nigeria’s peaceful, just, and prosperous future.
