Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has urged the media to extend scrutiny beyond the federal government to include state and local administrations, stressing that national development is a shared responsibility.
The president made the remarks on Friday while hosting media executives and proprietors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Tinubu stated that improving the country cannot rest solely on the shoulders of the federal government. He called on journalists to also hold state governments and local councils accountable for how they utilize public resources.
According to him, recent reforms have strengthened financial autonomy for lower tiers of government, allowing local governments to receive their allocations directly.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money. But how they use it is in your hands,” the president said.
He therefore encouraged the media to broaden its oversight role.
“So don’t bombard me alone; look at the local government too. Yes, we can complain it’s not enough; we can complain we are not where we should be. But we have to manage what we have to sustain today, survive tomorrow, and make progress,” Tinubu added.
The president also claimed that the country’s fiscal situation has improved compared to previous years, noting that no state government is currently borrowing to pay workers’ salaries.
Reaffirming his commitment to national development, Tinubu said his administration remains dedicated to improving the country through what he described as patriotic service.
“I promise you, the job that I continue to do is dedication, patriotic dedication to improve Nigeria. It’s all in our hands; it’s a collective responsibility,” he said.
