Prominent political, traditional, and business leaders from Northern Nigeria on Tuesday gathered at the historic Arewa House, Kaduna State, to assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration two years after taking office.

Naijaonpoint gathered that the high-level meeting, convened by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, is themed “Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government-Citizens Engagement for National Unity.”

Participants from across the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory include former governors, ex-ministers, traditional rulers, technocrats, civil society actors, and religious leaders, reflecting the weight attached to the session.

Speaking ahead of the event, the Foundation’s Director-General, Abubakar Gambo Umar, described the session as a continuation of constructive engagement with successive administrations to ensure accountability and inclusivity.

“This landmark event builds on the Foundation’s successful engagement in 2022, where frontline presidential candidates, including then-candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, presented their manifestos and made commitments towards the development of Northern Nigeria,” Umar said.

He explained that with Tinubu now midway through his first term, the session would serve as a “critical litmus test” to evaluate progress on campaign promises and how well the federal government is addressing the region’s socio-economic and security challenges.

Although discussions during the opening session were largely measured, insiders disclosed that perceived marginalisation of the North in federal appointments, project execution, and resource allocation would feature prominently in closed-door deliberations.

“With President Tinubu now two years into his administration, this follow-up session aims to evaluate the progress made, deepen government-citizen engagement, and promote a clearer understanding of the administration’s policies and programmes,” Umar added.

The two-day interactive session, which continues on Wednesday, is expected to produce a communique outlining the region’s stance on governance under Tinubu and recommendations for greater national unity and development.