President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged local government chairmen across Nigeria to discourage divisions and adopt zero tolerance for thuggery, intimidation, hate speech and violence as the country approaches the 2027 general election.
The President also urged the council chairmen to create a peaceful atmosphere for Nigerians to exercise their democratic rights freely and to prevent youths from being drawn into substance abuse or electoral violence.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, President Tinubu gave the charge on Tuesday at the maiden Annual National Conference of the 774 Local Government Council Chairmen in Nigeria, held at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja, with the theme, “Cascading President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to the Grassroots.”
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The President said while INEC is constitutionally responsible for conducting elections, local government chairmen must promote peace and protect citizens’ right to choose freely.
President Tinubu urged the council chairmen to ease community tensions, support lawful security coordination and protect citizens’ freedom of choice, stressing that peaceful participation strengthens democracy.
Turning to security, the Nigerian Leader tasked the council chairmen to deepen engagement with traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth and women’s groups, community associations and lawful security agencies, while putting in place mechanisms to detect and address grievances before they escalate into crises.
On the welfare of citizens, President Tinubu highlighted that Renewed Hope Agenda must become visible at the grassroots through tangible improvements in food security, healthcare, education, infrastructure, jobs and local enterprise, stating that the real test of government policy lies in what changes in communities rather than what is announced at the centre.
“To achieve these goals, your councils must become centres of planning, delivery, early warning and measurable results. You must imbibe the culture of evidence-based decision making, driven by technology and reliable statistics.
” This emphasis accords with the Administration’s current grassroots approach, under which councils are being called upon to provide stronger planning, coordination, implementation and accountability, “the President explained.
President Tinubu recalled the Supreme Court judgment of July 11, 2024, affirming financial autonomy for local governments, he noted that the judgement had placed greater responsibility on council chairmen, elected councillors and their management teams to deliver impactful governance.
The President further urged local governments not to remain passive recipients of Federal Government initiatives but to position themselves as active development partners by strengthening their capacity for coordination and innovation.
“This has been made much easier with the establishment of the Regional Development Commissions because they bring greater attention to your peculiarities and are readily available for partnership, investment and performance measurement, “he said.
President Tinubu recalled that while serving as Governor of Lagos State, his administration pursued the creation of additional local councils, which became 37 Local Council Development Areas, explaining that the initiative was aimed at bringing government closer to the people, expanding access to services and creating more centres of local development.
He maintained that Nigeria will not achieve sustainable development from the centre alone, stressing that development must take root from the grassroots.
President Tinubu further challenged the 774 council chairmen to transform their local government areas into models of development and ensure that their tenures are remembered for improvements in the lives of citizens, communities and public systems.
