Hunger Protest: Tinubu’s Aides Launch Nationwide Public Engagement Campaign

President Bola Tinubu’s administration has issued new directives to his aides on Public Engagement, mandating them to initiate citizen engagement activities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

This development follows closely on the heels of the President’s recent nationwide broadcast, where he called for an end to the #EndBadGovernance protests and expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue.

The Head of Media for the Presidential Community Engagement Office, Ms. Seun Ajayi, announced the new orders in a statement released on Thursday. The six Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) to the President on Community Engagement are 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 the new initiative was prompted by increasing discussions about the need for the administration to engage more directly with the public, particularly through its appointees, to communicate policies, projects, and programs.

She stated that the aides “have been tasked with returning to their communities in the geopolitical zones to engage directly with citizens. Their mission is to ensure that the President’s policies and programs are well understood and that public feedback is actively incorporated into the government’s agenda.”

Ajayi continued, “The whole idea is to strengthen the relationship between the government and its citizens. The newly established Presidential Community Engagement Office, a crucial bridge between the Federal Government and local communities in Nigeria, is leading this initiative.”

As part of this effort, the office has introduced the Citizens’ Assembly, a nationwide program designed to ensure that the voices of the people are heard and considered in national decision-making processes. The initiative aims to create a more inclusive and responsive government by facilitating meaningful engagements with the public.

In his address on Sunday, August 4, 2024, President Tinubu urged the organizers of the #EndBadGovernance protests to “suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue, which I have always acceded to at the slightest opportunity.” He emphasized the need for collective efforts across all segments of society—regardless of age, party, tribe, religion, or other divides—to work together to reshape Nigeria’s future.

Earlier, on July 29, Abiodun Essiet, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement for North-Central Nigeria, launched the Citizens’ Assembly at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Essiet highlighted the significant disconnect between the federal government and Local Government Councils in Nigeria.

To address this gap, Essiet noted that President Tinubu appointed the six SSAs on Community Engagement in September 2023 as part of the administration’s broader agenda to enhance governance through strategic citizen engagement.