By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
The Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Mal. Issa Lanre-Onilu, has presented the National Values Charter Plaque to the Northern Christian Youth Professionals in recognition of their contributions to national unity, patriotism, and religious tolerance.
Onilu made the presentation on Monday when a delegation of the group paid a courtesy visit to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
He commended the NCYP for supporting the Tinubu/Shettima Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket during the 2023 elections, despite strong opposition from many Northern Christian communities.
“I have known this group for quite some time. You took a principled stand to support President Tinubu’s ticket when others opposed it,” Onilu said. “Today, the wisdom of that decision is evident through inclusive governance and reform-driven leadership. That is what this plaque represents—patriotism and nation-building.”
Earlier, the Chairman of the NCYP, Isaac Abrak, said the group comprises Christian professionals from the 19 Northern states and the FCT who are committed to bridging divides and promoting merit-based politics.
He said their support for Tinubu was based on his track record as Lagos governor, particularly his reforms at the grassroots level and initiatives that turned street youths into contributors to the state economy. He credited these reforms with boosting Lagos’ internally generated revenue from N6bn to N11bn monthly.
The NCYP chairman also backed the Supreme Court ruling on local government financial autonomy and offered the group’s 30,000-member network to work with NOA’s offices across the 774 local governments to drive public awareness and implementation.
“The NCYP remains connected to the grassroots. We are ready to partner with the NOA to ensure local government autonomy works for the people,” Abrak said.
Onilu called on Nigerians to support the Tinubu administration, highlighting ongoing projects such as the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the creation of Regional Development Commissions as efforts aimed at boosting economic growth and inclusivity.
