The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged leaders to demonstrate integrity, accountability and competence to rebuild public trust and bridge the gap between government and citizens.

Mr Idris made the call on Tuesday at the fifth national conference of the Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria (FFDGN) in Abuja.

The theme of the conference was “Rethinking Nation-Building: Bridging the Leadership-Citizen Disconnect through Orientation, Attitude, Character, Culture and Tradition.”

The minister, represented by the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ali M. Ali, said nation-building required responsible leadership, active citizenship and a shared understanding of mutual obligations.

He said the government must explain its decisions, listen to citizens and deliver services that improve lives, while citizens should respect the law, protect public property and contribute to community development.

“Trust grows when promises are matched by results,” Mr Idris said.

He added that government initiatives must be implemented transparently and assessed by their impact on citizens.

He cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, which supports eligible students’ access to higher education financing, and the Federal Government’s mortgage financing intervention.

He said the Ministry of Finance Incorporated Real Estate Investment Fund disbursed N140 billion to support 2,018 mortgages across 27 states as of August 2026.

Mr Idris also cited plans for the federal government’s one-billion-dollar Renewed Hope Social Protection Programme to strengthen support for vulnerable households.

He said national development also depended on confronting dishonesty, ethnic prejudice, religious intolerance and abuse of public office, urging traditional institutions, religious leaders, schools, families and the media to promote unity and accountability.

The minister said public communication should go beyond announcing policies to explaining reforms, addressing misinformation and providing channels for citizens’ concerns to reach the government.

He identified the National Values Charter of the National Orientation Agency as one of the initiatives aimed at reinforcing the responsibilities of citizens and the state.

Also speaking, a former governor of Katsina State and chairman of the occasion, Aminu Masari, said public confidence was essential to effective governance, as policies achieved results when citizens understood them, considered them fair and trusted those implementing them.

Mr Masari said leaders must listen, explain decisions, accept legitimate criticism and correct mistakes, while citizens should participate constructively and hold public officials accountable.

He said former deputy governors could use their experience to advise serving officials, mediate disputes, promote civic engagement and mentor emerging leaders.

Mr Masari urged participants to produce practical recommendations on improving government responsiveness and citizen participation, stressing that the value of the conference would depend on the actions arising from its deliberations.

In his paper, titled “Rethinking Nation-Building for Sustainable Development: Bridging the Leadership-Citizenship Disconnect,” a former minister, Prof. Jerry Gana, identified value-based leadership, justice, security and good governance as essential to sustainable national development.

Mr Gana said Nigeria’s nation-building efforts had been undermined by leaders’ failure to align governance with citizens’ interests, arguing that public support grew when governments prioritised fairness, integrity and the welfare of the people.

He called for greater investment in education, science, engineering and technology to strengthen productive capacity, create wealth and transform the economy.

Mr Gana also proposed attracting six trillion dollars in foreign direct investment over four years, with one trillion dollars targeted for each of the country’s six geopolitical zones.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by a former deputy governor of Adamawa State, Bala Ngilari, called for politics and governance anchored on competence, integrity, inclusion and national interest.

Mr Jonathan also emphasised the importance of mentoring young leaders, strengthening relations between governors and their deputies, pursuing constitutional reform and promoting patriotic service.

A former hovernor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, said nation-building required a shared commitment to national development, stronger democratic institutions and continuity in governance.

He stressed the need to bridge the disconnect between leaders and citizens through improved orientation, positive attitudes and responsible leadership.

The two-day conference, holding in Abuja from October 20 to October 21, brings together former deputy governors and other stakeholders to discuss governance and sustainable national development. 

(NAN)