Tinubu asks APC governors to back state police, local government autonomy

President Tinubu urged governors to implement the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy and back proposed state police reforms, stressing that political success must be matched by tangible improvements in governance and security.

President Bola Tinubu has urged governors and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rally behind proposals for state police and the full implementation of local government autonomy, saying the party’s growing political dominance must be matched by concrete governance reforms.

The president made the appeal at the 14th meeting of the APC National Caucus in Abuja on Thursday, where he challenged governors to support the recent Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to local government councils and to ensure strict compliance with its provisions.

The APC National Caucus meeting is one of the party’s highest decision-making fora, bringing together the President, Vice President, national officers of the party, governors elected on the party’s platform, leaders of the National Assembly and other key stakeholders.

It serves as a platform for reviewing political developments, setting broad policy directions and strengthening internal cohesion within the party.

Meetings of the caucus are typically used to deliberate on major national issues, assess the performance of the party in government and agree on strategies ahead of elections or key legislative reforms. Resolutions reached at the caucus often shape the party’s position on governance, security, the economy and constitutional matters.

Mr Tinubu, addressing governors and senior party officials, said leadership responsibility must extend beyond federal and state levels to the grassroots, warning that political victories would be short-lived without effective governance at the local level.

“You are in a leadership position that must continue to promote tolerance and flexibility,” the President said.

He said sustainable reforms depend on cooperation among the federal government, states and local councils.

On security, Mr Tinubu said his administration remained committed to the establishment of state police as a response to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity. He disclosed that he had recently assured partners in the United States and Europe of Nigeria’s resolve to pursue the reform.

According to him, the APC’s control of the National Assembly strengthens the prospects of the required legislation. “They asked if I am confident, and I said yes. I have a party to depend on. I have a party that will make it happen,” he said, adding that failure was “not an option.”

The president stressed that local government autonomy must go beyond judicial pronouncements, insisting that statutory allocations should be paid directly to councils.

“There is no autonomy without a funded mandate. We will give them their money directly. That is compliance with the Supreme Court,” he said.

Mr Tinubu also called for unity within the party, urged reconciliation where there are disagreements and commiserated with the Bayelsa State Government over the death of the state’s deputy governor. He encouraged party members to pray for national stability.

In addition, the president renewed his call for greater inclusion of women in APC structures, particularly within the National Caucus, to promote gender balance. He also informed the meeting that he would present the national budget to the National Assembly later on Friday.

Earlier, Vice President Kashim Shettima, while welcoming caucus members, cautioned against complacency within the ruling party, warning that rapid political expansion could breed internal weakness.

“Rome was not destroyed by outside invaders. Rome was destroyed by the complacency of the Romans,” Mr Shettima said.

He described the APC as a “national force,” citing its dominance across the South-south and North-central, strong majorities in the North-west, South-west and North-east, as well as recent defections by serving governors from opposition parties.

Mr Shettima assured new entrants into the party, including governors from Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Taraba states, that the APC was their political home and expressed confidence about the party’s prospects in the 2027 elections.

“Be assured that 2027 is there for us waiting. APC is here to stay,” he said.