President Bola Tinubu’s administration has given his aides on Public Engagement a renewed mandate to initiate direct citizens’ engagement across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
This move follows Tinubu’s recent nationwide broadcast, where he called for an end to the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests and expressed his willingness to engage in dialogue.
Seun Ajayi, Head of Media at the Presidential Community Engagement Office, announced the initiative in a statement on Thursday. The plan involves six Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) to the President on Community Engagement, each assigned to a specific geopolitical zone: Moremi Ojudu (South-West), Chioma Nweze (South-East), Gift Johnbull (South-South), Abiodun Essiet (North-Central), Abdullahi Yakasai (North-West), and Abdulhamid Abba (North-East).
Ajayi explained that this initiative is in response to growing discussions about the need for the government to engage more directly with citizens through its appointees on policies, projects, and programs. The SSAs have been tasked with returning to their respective communities to ensure that the President’s policies and programs are well understood and that public feedback is actively considered in the government’s agenda.
“Their mission is to strengthen the relationship between the government and its citizens,” Ajayi said. The newly established Presidential Community Engagement Office will spearhead this effort, acting as a crucial link between the Federal Government and local communities. As part of this initiative, the office has introduced the Citizens’ Assembly, a nationwide program designed to ensure that public voices are heard and factored into national decision-making processes.
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In his address on August 4, 2024, President Tinubu urged the organizers of the #EndBadGovernance protests to “suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue,” emphasizing that Nigeria requires unity across all divides to reshape its future.
The Citizens’ Assembly initiative was first unveiled by Abiodun Essiet, the SSA on Community Engagement for the North-Central zone, on July 29 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Essiet highlighted the stark disconnect between the Federal Government and local communities, particularly at the grassroots level, which necessitated the creation of the Citizens’ Assembly.
A March 2024 survey conducted in the North-Central region, including Abuja and several states, revealed significant dissatisfaction among citizens, with 78.3% feeling unrepresented in government policies and decision-making. The Citizens’ Assembly aims to bridge this gap, with plans to extend the model across all North-Central states following its launch in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Nearly a thousand volunteers from the region have applied to participate in this grassroots engagement effort. Selected individuals will represent at least one ward across the six North-Central states and the FCT, serving as community change agents.
Essiet emphasized the importance of community engagement in building trust between the government and its citizens and called on other government appointees and elected officials to replicate this model in their regions to foster national prosperity.
