President Bola Tinubu has urged the 36 state governors to take the lead in driving grassroots development, emphasizing that the financial autonomy granted to local governments is not an attempt to undermine the authority of governors.
The President stated that strong leadership at the subnational level is key to achieving food security, economic prosperity, and rapid national growth. He made these remarks on Wednesday when members of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), led by Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, paid him a New Year visit at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos.
Tinubu underscored the importance of grassroots development and dispelled rumors of any disagreement with the governors regarding local government autonomy.
“We will not fight among ourselves. I will drive the change. You control your local governments. You can restore hope by effectively meeting the expectations of the people at the grassroots,” Tinubu said, according to a statement from presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.
He continued, “There have been rumors about disagreements on local government autonomy. No. Just drive development at the local government level. Nobody is trying to take them away from you, but we need collaboration. Let’s work together to ensure that Nigeria is better off for it.”
The President called for enhanced collaboration between federal and state governments to address pressing challenges, including local government autonomy, agricultural productivity, and currency stability.
Tinubu urged governors to prioritize agricultural growth as a critical pathway to economic stability. “You are the most important link to Nigeria’s prosperity and development. The Federal Government accounts for about 30 to 35 percent of the allocated revenue; the rest comes to you. The agricultural value chain depends on you. You own the land, and the job is in your hands.”
He emphasized, “We must work harder, grow more, and ensure the stability of our currency. Nigeria will see prosperity, but it requires consistent effort from all of us.”
In response, Kwara State Governor and NGF Chairman Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq assured the President of the governors’ full support.
“I must confess that I have not yet completed two years in this administration, but I’ve already initiated more projects in these two years than in the four years of my first term,” Governor Abdulrazaq said.
“We are securing more funding due to the restructuring of the economy. Yes, inflation is a challenge, but we are overcoming it,” the governor added.
