A coalition of northern youth groups has called for greater inclusiveness and transparency in the upcoming appraisal of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, being organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna.
Speaking under the banner of the Northern Nigeria Youth Leaders Forum, the group warned that any engagement conducted in the name of the North must reflect the voices of all key stakeholders, including youths, women, traditional and religious leaders, and civil society organisations.
“We are not against the idea of appraising the government,” said Muhammad Isah Imam, Secretary of Media and Public Affairs for the Forum, during a press conference in Kaduna over the weekend. “But we cannot accept a process that excludes the very people it claims to represent.”
Imam criticised the Foundation — despite its reputation — for allegedly acting unilaterally without consulting the broader coalition that spearheaded the historic 2022 Northern Presidential Engagement.
“That 2022 forum was a collective effort,” Imam recalled. “All northern groups came together to demand clear commitments from presidential candidates. How then can one foundation now assume the mandate to evaluate the President’s performance on behalf of the entire North?”
The Forum warned that the initiative risks losing legitimacy if it continues as a closed-door affair, calling instead for the event to be expanded to accommodate a wider array of voices, particularly those directly affected by federal government policies.
Imam stressed that northern youths would not tolerate being sidelined. “We are demanding inclusion, not out of entitlement, but necessity. Any engagement that fails to involve youth voices is fundamentally flawed.”
The group demanded that the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation immediately make public the event’s objectives, agenda, and participant list to assure the northern public that the initiative is transparent, inclusive, and not politically manipulated.
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“Is this truly an independent appraisal of Tinubu’s government, or is it being shaped by external political interests?” Imam queried. “We deserve to know who’s involved, what will be discussed, and how outcomes will be measured.”
The group also questioned why other original conveners of the 2022 engagement have been left out of the process and called on respected northern elders to intervene and ensure the region is not misrepresented.
“If the North is to speak, let it be a united voice — not a selected few behind closed doors,” Imam declared. “We must protect the integrity of our platforms.”
While reaffirming its respect for the legacy of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the coalition said true honouring of the Sardauna’s memory lies in transparency, inclusion, and grassroots participation, not elite-dominated initiatives.
“The North is watching, and we will not allow anyone, no matter how well-meaning, to hijack our collective voice,” Imam warned. “We are ready to engage, but only through a process that is open, honest, and people-driven.”
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