Groups Reject FG’s plan to celebrate Tinubu’s achievements in Kaduna
The Coalition of Northern Nigeria Youth Leaders has strongly rejected the federal government’s planned engagement in Kaduna, describing it as a one-sided and politically motivated initiative that fails to reflect the genuine aspirations of the North. Speaking at a press briefing held at NUT-End Well Hotel in Kaduna, the forum expressed outrage over what it […]
Map of Kaduna State
The Coalition of Northern Nigeria Youth Leaders has strongly rejected the federal government’s planned engagement in Kaduna, describing it as a one-sided and politically motivated initiative that fails to reflect the genuine aspirations of the North.
Speaking at a press briefing held at NUT-End Well Hotel in Kaduna, the forum expressed outrage over what it termed “a government-orchestrated jamboree” aimed at presenting a selective narrative of federal achievements, while excluding key regional voices.
“We are not interested in tokenism,” declared Muhammad Isah Imam, Secretary of Media and Public Affairs for the coalition.
“This planned engagement is not rooted in transparency, inclusiveness, or sincerity. It is a calculated political show, not a true dialogue.”
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The group recalled the landmark Kaduna Engagement of October 2022, which brought together a wide range of northern stakeholders from youth organizations and traditional leaders to political actors and civil society offering presidential candidates a platform to hear and respond to the North’s core demands.
“That forum was the product of a truly inclusive coalition,” Imam said. “What we see today is the federal government partnering with only the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation just one of the many conveners of that historic engagement. Why are others being sidelined?”
The forum posed a series of questions, demanding public explanation: “Why is the engagement happening now after two years of silence? Why is it being driven solely by government interests? And why are original stakeholders and youth voices excluded from the process?”
The coalition also criticized the silence of northern elders who played key roles in the 2022 forum, accusing them of allowing the current process to be hijacked by external political interests.
“Where are our elders now?” Imam asked. “Why have they gone quiet while a government-led process seeks to undermine the spirit of unity and self-advocacy we once shared?”
Calling for a reset, the coalition demanded full disclosure of the objectives, agenda, and expected outcomes of the Kaduna event, as well as the inclusion of all relevant northern groups particularly youths, women, civil society, and religious leaders.
“The North must lead its own engagements,” the statement emphasized. “The government should play a responsive not directive role in any genuine dialogue with the region.”