…Says governance, development starts from grassroots
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has urged Nigerians to broaden their expectations of governance beyond the Federal Government, insisting that state governors and local government chairmen must also be held accountable for the nation’s progress and citizens’ welfare.
Speaking during a media interaction at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja yesterday, Prof. Yilwatda said it was unfair and politically myopic for Nigerians to heap all the blame for the country’s economic difficulties on President Bola Tinubu’s administration, when, according to him, “governance is a shared responsibility across all levels”.
He noted that both state and local governments receive substantial monthly allocations from the Federation Account and therefore bear equal responsibility in driving development and providing social amenities within their jurisdictions.
The APC Chairman said: “It is time for Nigerians to start asking questions at the state and local levels. Governors and local government chairmen are not spectators in the business of governance. They receive their share of federal allocations, and citizens must hold them accountable for how those funds are used”.
Prof. Yilwatda emphasised that effective governance must begin from the grassroots, arguing that without functional local governments, federal interventions would have limited impact on ordinary citizens.
He pointed out that issues such as poor infrastructure, unpaid workers’ salaries, and inadequate healthcare and education services are often more directly tied to state and local administrative failures than to federal policy lapses.
“The President cannot build every road, repair every school, or staff every clinic. These are constitutional responsibilities of subnational governments. If citizens only look to Abuja for solutions, they will continue to overlook those who directly manage their everyday realities”, he stressed.
Prof. Yilwatda also called on Nigerians to become more involved in governance by participating in town hall meetings, budget hearings, and local council oversight processes. He said that democracy thrives when citizens demand transparency and accountability from all elected officials, not just those at the top.
According to him, “True progress begins from the bottom up,” he said. “When local leaders are held to account, communities thrive, states grow stronger, and the nation prospers”.
Prof. Yilwatda reaffirmed the APC’s commitment to good governance and transparency across all tiers, urging Nigerians to continue supporting President Tinubu’s reform agenda while also demanding accountability from other public officeholders.
The APC chairman’s remarks come amid growing public concern over rising inflation, unemployment, and the high cost of living. Analysts say his comments reflect the ruling party’s attempt to shift focus toward the responsibilities of state and local governments in addressing economic challenges.
