President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appears not relenting in his recent quest to put state governors in the country on the spot, and make them accountable to their people.
The president, on Thursday in Abuja, the nation’s capital, told some northern leaders, under the leadership of Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, that state governors need to do more so that Nigerians can enjoy the dividends of democracy.
Tinubu told the northern leaders that the reason why governance has not trickled down to the grassroots is because some governors have abandoned their state.
According to him, some state governors had abandoned their states, and relocated to Abuja as soon as they were elected into office.
The president’s remark was contained in a statement issued by Ajuri Ngelale, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.
“We are running a constitutional democracy. I will appeal to you to summon the governors. I am doing my very best to enhance the revenue base of the country. They must equally be sympathetic, and they must urgently consider the needs of the local people,” Tinubu said during the meeting at the Presidential Villa.
“People reside in the local communities. That is where they work, farm, and live. If the local governments are not effective in delivering services; as leaders, we must not hang on to the numbers. We have 774 local government areas, but are they truly effective? Do they solve problems for Nigerians? Do they coordinate development programming with the state and federal governments?
“Who is being held accountable for the performance of the 774 local governments? Maybe we should look at recalibrating. What was good four years ago may not be good today. When we want the votes, we go to the locals; when we get the votes, we move to and focus on Abuja.”
The president’s remark comes on the heels of the recent suit filed by the federal government against state government over the management of local government funds.
The suit filed last week by Lateef, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, political analysts insist was meant to put the state governors on the firing line of Nigerians, as a result of thr current economic crisis in the country.
Not a few Nigerians have blamed the federal government for the hardship in the country due to unfriendly policies.
The federal government would not want to take the blame alone, keen analysts said, the reason why it’s now putting pressure on Nigerians to call their governors to account.
The suit filed by the AGF at the Supreme Court is billed to be heard next month as the apex court has ordered state governments to file their defence in Seven days. The federal government must also respond to the defence in 12 days, the nation’s highest court said on Wednesday.
Those watching the world ongoing blame game between the federal and state governors said the former believes that once the LGA are rescued from the stranglehold of state governors, there will be less pressure on the centre because more developments are likely to spring up at that level.
Currently, many state governors are allegedly mismanaging the LGA funds, using the State/ LGAs Joint Account.
The major effect of this, analysts insist, is that more meant for the development of the grassroots have been hijacked by the governors who either divert such or spend them as they please.
Meanwhile, those watching the current cat and mouse battle between the president and governors told the magazine that the governors will fight back with ferocity.
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