A HIGH-LEVEL two-day interactive session hosted by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF) has concluded in Kaduna with a strong call for deeper government-citizen engagement and renewed national unity.
Held from July 29 to 30, 2025, at Arewa House, Kaduna, the session themed “Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government-Citizen Engagement for National Unity” brought together leading voices from government, traditional institutions, academia, civil society, the private sector, and the security architecture.
The forum was attended by top government officials, including Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who led the federal delegation. Also present were the National Security Adviser, service chiefs, and heads of key federal agencies.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was represented by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, while Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, Special Adviser on Special Duties (Office of the Vice President), represented Vice President Kashim Shettima. Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, served as chief host.
The summit featured keynote speaker Professor Tijjani Muhammad Bande, GCON, who emphasized the resilience of the Nigerian state in confronting insecurity, poverty, and education deficits. He called on the North to define and negotiate its interest within a national development framework.
Participants acknowledged the strong electoral support the North gave to President Tinubu in 2023, while also spotlighting unresolved challenges such as the Almajiri crisis, youth unemployment, and regional underdevelopment.
In its communiqué, the summit praised the administration’s “high and commendable” performance in security, infrastructure, and economic reforms, but stressed the need for: stronger investment in education, especially to reduce the number of out-of-school children, strengthened agricultural value chains and rural industrialization, institutionalized dialogue platforms between governments and citizens at all levels, accelerated infrastructure projects like the AKK gas pipeline, Kolmani oil exploration, and rural irrigation schemes, responsible media practices to curb misinformation and promote national unity and inclusive security reforms, emphasizing community engagement and non-kinetic strategies.
The forum also advocated deeper cooperation among Northern states to improve interface with the federal government, as well as an increased role for civil society, traditional, and religious leaders in public policy and advocacy.
The SABMF noted that the engagement built on the Foundation’s October 2022 presidential dialogue and reaffirmed its commitment to fostering a participatory democracy through dialogue.
Signed on behalf of participants by Engr. Dr. Abubakar Gambo Umar, Director General of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, the communiqué concluded with a reaffirmation of Northern Nigeria’s commitment to national cohesion and good governance.
“The surest path to peace, justice, and prosperity is continued collaboration among government, citizens, and stakeholders,” it stated.
