NOA Partners Bauchi CSOs, Media Organisations for 2027 Elections Dialogue

From Paul Orude Bauchi

The National Orientation Agency (NOA), Bauchi State Directorate, has entered into a strategic partnership with a coalition of civil society organisations and media institutions to promote citizens’ participation and accountability ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The partnership is aimed at supporting the People’s Mandate Dialogue Bauchi 2026, scheduled for December 2 and 3 at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre, Government House, Bauchi.

The Acting State Director of NOA, Mallam Adamu Umar Sarkinyara, announced the agency’s commitment when he received a delegation of the dialogue’s Central Planning Committee during an advocacy visit to his office at the Federal Secretariat, Bauchi.

The delegation was led by the committee chairman and Executive Director of Thamani for Women and Youth Development Initiative, Mr Nicholas Afeso Oshojah, alongside Mr Seun Justin, Executive Director of Young Leaders Network (YLN) and lead convener of the initiative.

The two-day dialogue is designed to provide citizens with an opportunity to engage senatorial candidates from Bauchi North, Central and South on legislative priorities, constituency development needs and accountability in political representation.

The initiative is being organised by a coalition comprising Young Leaders Network, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bauchi State Council, Albarka Radio 97.5 FM, Bauchi State Network of Civil Society Organisations (BASNEC), Thamani for Women and Youth Development Initiative, and NOA Bauchi State Directorate, alongside relevant government agencies.

Speaking during the meeting, Oshojah explained that although election campaigns provide candidates with opportunities to address voters, they often offer limited opportunities for sustained questioning on legislative responsibilities, budget oversight, constituency representation and accountability.

He said the dialogue would be guided by Community Charters of Demand, constituency scorecards and issues identified by residents across the three senatorial districts.

According to him, previous governance programmes supported by YLN between 2019 and 2024 documented 50 Community Charters of Demand and facilitated 17 citizens-legislators forums.

He disclosed that the organisers were targeting between 300 and 400 participants daily, with deliberate provision for 40 per cent women’s participation, 35 per cent youth representation and five per cent participation by persons with disabilities.

In response, Sarkinyara formally accepted seven strategic responsibilities on behalf of NOA Bauchi, covering venue arrangements, mobilisation, secretariat services, post-dialogue coordination, feedback mechanisms, monitoring and evaluation, and civic orientation.

He said the agency would facilitate the use of the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre as the official venue, while leveraging its grassroots structures, including 20 Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers, Ward Mobilisation Committees and local government communication platforms, to support public participation.

The NOA acting director also designated the agency’s civic engagement Situation Room as the project’s secretariat and directed its Public Relations and Strategic Communications unit to prepare a joint memorandum of understanding involving the convening organisations and relevant government agencies.

Sarkinyara said the partnership aligned with the transformation agenda of NOA’s Director-General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, and the agency’s commitment to strengthening civic engagement through structures, platforms, strategies, coordination and collaboration.

He said: “NOA Bauchi will anchor this dialogue before, during and after. Before the event, we will support venue arrangements, contacts and mobilisation, as well as secretariat services. 

“During the dialogue, we will serve as a neutrality guarantor, ensure equal time for candidates, support moderated discussions and independent reporting, and coordinate relevant security arrangements.

“After the dialogue, we will support post-dialogue coordination, feedback mechanisms, monitoring and evaluation, and other functions in line with the NOA Act.”

He described the initiative as part of the agency’s efforts to promote its ‘Do The Right Thing’ campaign and position Bauchi as a model state for peaceful, inclusive and informed electoral participation ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Acting State Director further disclosed that the partnership would be presented at the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Electoral Risk Management (ERM) Sensitisation Workshop scheduled for Monday, November 2, 2026, at the INEC Conference Centre in Bauchi.

He said the collaboration would also strengthen early-warning and peacebuilding mechanisms through the NOA-Victus Impact Network (VINET), while promoting public awareness against hate speech, misinformation, vote-buying and electoral violence.

The organisers, in their remarks, commended the NOA leadership for its commitment to inclusive governance and agreed to maintain political neutrality throughout the exercise.

They assured that the dialogue would provide an impartial platform for candidates to explain their programmes and respond to citizens’ concerns without partisan endorsement, intimidation or discriminatory language.

The delegation also undertook to submit the final programme, verified contacts of candidates and district-specific questions drawn from the Community Charters of Demand to the NOA Situation Room by November 1, 2026.

The meeting ended with the presentation of NOA publications, including its explainer magazine and the Freedom of Information Act, to members of the delegation. The visitors also presented reports and publications documenting their previous governance and development initiatives.

The People’s Mandate Dialogue is expected to strengthen citizens’ engagement with political candidates and promote informed electoral choices, transparency and accountability in Bauchi State ahead of the 2027 general elections.