The Arewa Think Tank (ATTK), a northern region group, has expressed its support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to secure financial autonomy for local governments in Nigeria.
In a statement issued by Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, the Chief Convener of ATTK, the group emphasized the need for accountability and efficiency to foster growth in local government authorities. They stressed that state governors should be held accountable for the insufficient development at the grassroots level.
ATTK’s statement follows President Tinubu’s recent criticism of state governors for exerting excessive control over local government administration. The group praised Tinubu’s commitment to enhancing the country’s revenue base and urged state governors to collaborate and prioritize the needs of the people they govern.
“Arewa Think Tank is in line with President Tinubu for criticizing governors who, during elections, rely on local governments for votes but then focus solely on state-level issues post-election. We believe that Tinubu is doing his very best to enhance the revenue base of the country, and the governors must equally be sympathetic and urgently consider the needs of the local people,” the statement read.
The group also expressed their support for the federal government’s suit against the 36 state governors before the Supreme Court, seeking the enforcement of full autonomy for local governments. Additionally, they criticized what they see as deliberate efforts to undermine the best talents in President Tinubu’s administration, starting with the Comptroller General of Customs.
