From Femi Mustapha and Edirin Robinson, in Kaduna
The former Niger State Governor and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has attributed Northern Nigeria’s persistent challenges to elite complacency, institutional neglect, and decades of misguided policy choices.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day Interactive Session on Government-Citizens Engagement, Aliyu said that the region’s problems did not start with the current administration, and Northern political and intellectual elites must accept part of the responsibility.
Aliyu listed insurgency, banditry, poverty, out-of-school children, porous borders, and youth unemployment as urgent concerns that require collective action.
He advocated for institutionalized, town hall-style meetings nationwide, citing successful global examples where such civic engagement has shaped policy and strengthened democracy.
The former governor condemned the long-standing delays surrounding the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project and the Baro Inland Port, calling both unfulfilled federal promises “frauds.”
He urged the government to either complete these projects or abandon them.
In a separate intervention, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to renew his commitment to Northern development, citing the region’s overwhelming support in the 2023 presidential election.
Dalhatu disclosed that Northern leaders had formally presented key expectations to President Tinubu, including enhanced security, revived agriculture, improved education, and investment in energy and infrastructure.
Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Professor Ango Abdullahi, called for a sharper federal focus on education and infrastructure in the North, warning that current neglect undermines national development.
He lamented the region’s disproportionate share of the country’s estimated 20 million out-of-school children and criticized the state of road infrastructure in the Northeast.
The interactive session, convened by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, aims to deepen inclusive governance through structured dialogue between policymakers and citizens across Northern Nigeria.
The foundation reaffirmed its non-partisan stance, stressing its commitment to promoting leadership rooted in justice, equity, and good governance.
