Former Niger State Governor and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has blamed Northern Nigeria’s deepening crises on elite complacency, institutional failures, and decades of misguided policies that long predate the current administration.
Aliyu made the remarks on Monday at the opening session of a two-day Government-Citizens’ Engagement Forum convened by the Foundation at the Arewa House, Kaduna. The forum, aimed at evaluating President Bola Tinubu’s performance in Northern Nigeria during his first year in office, brought together northern elders, policymakers, civil society leaders, and traditional institutions.
“Our problems didn’t start today, and they weren’t caused solely by this government,” Aliyu said. “Many of us who watched and did nothing must also bear the blame. We failed to act when it mattered most.”
He highlighted persistent challenges including insurgency, banditry, mass poverty, porous borders, youth unemployment, and the alarming number of out-of-school children. According to him, these crises have been compounded by the widening gap between governments and the governed.
“There’s a communication vacuum,” he warned. “That gap is breeding frustration and eroding public trust. This forum is a deliberate attempt to bridge that divide.”
Aliyu called for the institutionalisation of town hall-style dialogues nationwide, stressing that inclusive governance cannot thrive without structured engagement between leaders and citizens. “Let’s be clear: there’s a big difference between governance and partisanship. Governments must listen to the people, and citizens must be bold enough to speak up—with respect and clarity,” he added.
Reaffirming the Foundation’s non-partisan commitment to justice, equity, and good governance, Aliyu praised platforms like the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Northern Elders Forum (NEF), and Arewa House for consistently demanding accountability. He also issued a sharp rebuke of failed federal projects in the region.
“The Mambilla project is a 40-year-old scam. Kill it or come clean,” Aliyu declared. “As for Baro Port, the government must complete it and dredge the River Niger. Stop deceiving Nigerians.”
Also speaking at the event, Chairman of the ACF Board of Trustees, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, said Northern Nigeria deserves a fair share of development, having delivered 5.6 million of the 8.8 million votes that brought President Tinubu to power in 2023.
“We believe the region has earned the right to benefit from the promises made during the campaign,” Dalhatu said, noting that Northern leaders had submitted their expectations to the President during a meeting on May 30, 2024. The demands included improved security, revived agriculture, better education, and investment in infrastructure and energy.
While acknowledging that change takes time, Dalhatu urged the Federal Government to ensure its policies reflect Northern realities and priorities. “We aim to support the President in delivering on his promises—especially to Northern communities still plagued by insecurity and poverty,” he said.
On his part, Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, Professor Ango Abdullahi, called for urgent federal intervention in education and infrastructure. He decried the North’s disproportionate share of Nigeria’s estimated 20 million out-of-school children, calling it a reflection of decades of structural failure.
“If even half of the N15 trillion federal budget were allocated to education, we could build schools, train teachers, and drastically cut down the out-of-school population,” Abdullahi said.
He also criticised the dilapidated state of roads in the North-East and raised concerns over recent developments at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), including the relocation of key departments to Lagos and what he described as skewed appointments.
Abdullahi further advocated the strategic siting of agro-allied industries in the North, arguing that industrialising the region in line with its agricultural strength was crucial to Nigeria’s overall development.
“We must continue to engage constructively. These conversations are necessary for progress, and we hope to see greater inclusion and responsiveness going forward,” he said.
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