Tinubu, Omidiran, PGF, Defence Minister Tasks 774 LG Chairmen on Inclusive Governance, Accountability

By Aliyu Oyewole

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has charged chairmen of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas to translate the principles of federal character into practical and inclusive governance, urging them to prioritise fairness, equity and accountability at the grassroots.

Tinubu gave the charge on Monday in Abuja in a keynote address delivered on his behalf by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, at a national workshop organised for Local Government chairmen by the Federal Character Commission (FCC) in collaboration with the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF).

The two-day workshop, held at Tropic Galleria, Abuja, is themed “Translating Federal Character Principles into Local Governance: Bridging Policy and Practice.”

The event brought together chairmen of the 774 Local Government Areas, government officials, security agencies and other stakeholders to discuss inclusive governance, grassroots development, federal character and community security.

According to Tinubu, Local Government Councils occupy a strategic position in Nigeria’s governance structure because they represent the closest point of contact between citizens and government.

He stressed that the success of national policies ultimately depends on their effective implementation at the grassroots.

“Policies, no matter how well-crafted, achieve little unless they are effectively translated into action where it matters most, the grassroots,” the President said.

Tinubu also urged the council chairmen to rise above sectional interests and promote national unity, stressing that Nigeria’s cultural, ethnic and religious diversity should be managed through fairness, justice and inclusion.

“You must rise above sectional interests and embrace a broader national perspective that prioritises unity over division and inclusiveness over exclusion,” he said.

Omidiran: Diversity Must Become Nigeria’s Strength

Earlier, the Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, said the workshop was designed to strengthen the relationship between federal character principles, grassroots governance and national integration.

Omidiran described the initiative as a timely intervention aimed at strengthening unity, fairness, inclusion and peaceful coexistence across the country.

She maintained that Nigeria’s diversity should be regarded as an asset rather than an obstacle to national development.

“Our ethnic, linguistic, and religious diversities are not obstacles to nationhood; rather, they are valuable strengths capable of driving national growth when managed with equity, justice, and sincerity of purpose,” she said.

According to her, Local Governments are uniquely positioned to manage diversity within communities through equitable distribution of opportunities, fair representation, inclusive leadership and meaningful engagement with citizens.

She urged stakeholders to place justice, unity and national interest above prejudice, division and sectional considerations.

“The future of Nigeria depends greatly on our collective willingness to promote justice above prejudice, unity above division, and national interest above personal or sectional considerations,” Omidiran said.

Defence Minister Seeks Stronger Grassroots Security

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.), called for stronger collaboration among Local Governments, communities, traditional and religious institutions, security agencies and the private sector to tackle insecurity.

Speaking on “Strengthening Grassroots Security through Inclusive Local Leadership, Community Partnership and Inter-Agency Collaboration,” Musa said local knowledge was critical to preventing insecurity and responding to emerging threats.

He argued that communities must become an integral part of Nigeria’s security architecture because insecurity is experienced most directly at the grassroots.

“If we are serious about preventing insecurity rather than simply responding to it after it occurs, then the knowledge and experience of those closest to the people must become an integral part of our security effort,” he said.

The Defence Minister backed the proposal to establish Local Government Security Coordination Committees across the 774 councils.

However, he warned that the committees must be functional and result-oriented rather than becoming another bureaucratic layer.

According to Musa, the proposed committees should improve early warning systems, strengthen coordination and help prevent security incidents before they escalate.

He noted that securing farming communities would help protect livelihoods and food production, while securing business districts would protect investments and employment.

“The objective is not to create parallel security structures, but to improve coordination, strengthen existing institutions and ensure that every stakeholder contributes effectively within his or her area of responsibility,” Musa said.

PGF: LG Autonomy Must Come With Responsibility

Representing the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, the Director-General of the Forum, Folorunso S. Aluko, commended the FCC for partnering with the PGF on the workshop.

Aluko described Local Governments as the level of government where citizens encounter the state most directly.

He said functional primary healthcare centres, accessible community roads, improved sanitation and support for vulnerable citizens were some of the clearest ways government could demonstrate its impact.

“When a primary healthcare centre functions, a community road becomes passable, sanitation improves or vulnerable citizens receive support, government ceases to be an abstract institution, it becomes a living source of dignity, confidence and hope,” he said.

Aluko also stressed that greater Local Government autonomy must be accompanied by greater accountability.

“Autonomy must always travel with responsibility. Greater authority must produce higher standards of transparent budgeting, prudent financial management, merit-based appointments, procurement integrity, audit compliance and meaningful citizen engagement,” he said.

He described Local Government chairmen as custodians of public trust and frontline builders of the Nigerian federation.

NOA: Federal Character Is About Belonging

The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said federal character should not be viewed merely as a formula for appointments but as a principle of fairness, inclusion and national belonging.

Issa-Onilu said the central challenge of nation-building was ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of their origin or location, felt a sense of ownership and belonging in the country.

He linked the workshop to the work of the National Orientation Agency and the National Values Charter, arguing that national unity could only be sustained when citizens experienced fairness, justice, inclusion and equal opportunity.

“Federal Character must therefore be understood as more than a formula for appointments. At its heart, it is a principle of belonging,” he said.

He added that equitable development was essential to building citizens’ confidence in the Nigerian state.

“When development is equitable, we are not merely distributing infrastructure; we are distributing belonging,” Issa-Onilu said.

Workshop Ends Tuesday

The workshop is expected to end on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, with participants receiving practical guidance on applying federal character principles to governance, appointments, planning, resource allocation and development.

The programme will also focus on community security, citizen engagement and inter-agency collaboration.

High-powered officials at the opening ceremony included the SGF, Senator George Akume; Director-General of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Muyi Aina; Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.); Director-General of the NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu; and Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum, Funsho Aluko.

Others included the Director-General of the National Bureau of Statistics, Adeyemi Adeniran; National President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners Association, Dr. Ogbona Chime; President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Dr. Aminu Muazu-Maifata; Managing Director of Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, Akinola Odeyemi; and Kano State Commissioner for Local Government, Hon. Tajudeen Usman.

The workshop was organised by the Federal Character Commission in collaboration with the Progressive Governors Forum.