…Confirms State Police Imminent, Reveals Assurances to U.S., European Partners
Jeremy Fregene
President Bola Tinubu has warned state governors to stop tampering with funds meant for local governments, insisting that the era of diverting council allocations is over following the Supreme Court judgment granting full financial autonomy to local councils.
The president issued the stern warning on Thursday at the 14th National Caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC), held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, where he also disclosed details of his discussions with the United States and European partners on Nigeria’s security architecture.
Tinubu said he had assured Nigeria’s international partners that his administration was committed to implementing state police as a key strategy to address the country’s worsening security challenges.
“I had a very long discussion with our United States and European partners,” the president said. “They asked me if I am confident, and I said yes, I have a party to depend on.”
Speaking on governance and party management, Tinubu stressed that political reconciliation and internal cohesion were collective responsibilities that rested on leaders at all levels of the party. He noted that flexibility and tolerance were essential ingredients for stability, growth, and national progress.
Turning to the recent landmark Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy, the president urged APC leaders, particularly governors, to fully support and implement the ruling in both letter and spirit. He warned that autonomy would be meaningless without direct access to funds.
“Look at the recent Supreme Court judgment—what can we do with it, and how well can we position our country and our party?” Tinubu asked. “There is no autonomy without a funded mandate; give them their money directly. That’s the truth. That’s compliance with the Supreme Court.”
The president emphasised that allocations meant for local governments must be paid directly to them, stressing that strong and properly funded councils were critical to effective grassroots governance and community stability.
Tinubu further urged party leaders to take leadership responsibilities seriously, noting that development and security at the local level would have a stabilising effect on the entire country.
He also called for greater inclusion of women in party leadership and political participation, urging APC stakeholders to deliberately create space and opportunities that would bring more women into the party’s leadership structure.