Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar launched a new citizen-engagement platform called "Ask Aa" and says it pulled in more than 1,000 questions within the first 30 minutes of going live. That kind of early traffic signals real public appetite for direct access to political figures, whatever your feelings about the man behind the mic.
At the launch, Atiku was joined by Rotimi Amaechi, and the two addressed some of the issues Nigerians are most vocal about right now: insecurity and economic hardship. No surprises there, given how loudly both topics dominate everyday conversation from Lagos to Kaduna.
Whether "Ask Aa" becomes a genuine channel for accountability or fades into the long list of political gestures remains the real question. One thousand questions in 30 minutes is a start. What happens to the answers is what Nigerians will be watching.
Originally published by AllAfrica.