Top political, traditional, and business figures from Northern Nigeria converged in Kaduna on Tuesday to review the performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, two years after he took office.
The high-level meeting is being held at the historic Arewa House, once the residence of the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello. It was convened by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, a respected socio-political think tank focused on advancing the ideals of the late Sardauna.
The two-day forum, themed “Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government-Citizens Engagement for National Unity,” draws participants from across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Scheduled to continue on Wednesday, the event has attracted a broad range of northern stakeholders including former governors, ex-ministers, traditional rulers, technocrats, civil society leaders, and religious figures. Their presence underscores the importance the region places on its role in the national conversation under Tinubu’s leadership.
Foundation DG speaks as Northern leaders gather
Speaking ahead of the session, the Foundation’s Director-General, Abubakar Gambo Umar, said the event follows the region’s tradition of engaging constructively with those in power.
“The Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation is pleased to announce a significant two-day interactive session scheduled for 24th and 25th June 2025 in Kaduna, Nigeria,” he stated.
“This landmark event builds on the Foundation’s successful engagement on 17th October 2022, where frontline presidential candidates, including then-candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, presented their manifestos and made commitments towards the development of Northern Nigeria.”
Umar added that the review is designed to examine the extent to which those commitments have been fulfilled.
“With President Tinubu now two years into his administration, this follow-up session aims to evaluate the progress made on those electoral promises, deepen government-citizen engagement, and promote a clearer understanding of the administration’s policies and programmes,” he explained.
He also described the initiative as a “critical litmus test” to gauge the federal government’s responsiveness to the pressing socio-economic and security issues confronting the region.
The forum is expected to yield recommendations aimed at reinforcing unity and advancing Northern Nigeria’s development agenda within the broader national framework.
