President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday issued a stern charge to the leadership of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, directing them to immediately translate his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda into visible structural development at the grassroots level.

The President emphasized that the overall success of national growth depends heavily on the performance of local administrations. He declared that a country as vast as Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable advancement solely through policies directed from the central government in Abuja, stating that true transformation must instead take root from the bottom up.

Speaking at the maiden Annual National Conference of the 774 Local Government Council Chairmen, held at the State House Banquet Hall, Tinubu insisted that the real impact of government must be measured by tangible improvements in communities. He noted that official policy announcements mean very little if they do not change the daily realities of citizens living in rural wards, villages, and towns.

Reflecting on his political journey, the President recalled his tenure as the Governor of Lagos State, during which his administration pioneered the creation of 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs). He explained that this expansion was driven by a rapidly growing population and a structural necessity to bring public services closer to ordinary citizens.

Tinubu dismissed historical counter-narratives regarding his local government reforms in Lagos, clarifying that the strategy was strictly focused on widening public access to basic services. By shortening the physical and bureaucratic distance between the governed and the government, his administration successfully established enduring centres of local development.

Building on that foundational governance blueprint, the President stated that his federal administration has actively pursued decentralized national development since taking office in 2023. He reiterated his firm conviction that local government councils are the primary engines required to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty and neglect.

Highlighting a major milestone of his administration, Tinubu referenced the decisive legal action initiated by the Federal Government which culminated in the historic July 11, 2024, Supreme Court judgment affirming full financial and constitutional autonomy for local government councils across the federation.

However, the President pointed out that the landmark judicial victory was not achieved for mere political showmanship. He cautioned the council leaders that autonomy is not an end in itself, but rather a functional administrative instrument meant to drive aggressive infrastructure and welfare delivery across Nigeria.

The President subsequently rolled out specific operational benchmarks, ordering the council chairmen and elected councillors to prioritize drastic upgrades in primary healthcare, basic education, rural road networks, and clean water supply. He added that local administrations must aggressively support small scale businesses, women, and youth groups

To achieve these governance targets, Tinubu urged the councils to completely abandon archaic administrative habits and transition into modern centres of precision planning. He directed the leadership to heavily adopt technology and rely on verified statistics to ensure evidence-based decision-making and measurable project implementation.

Shifting his focus to national security, the President stated that while the Federal Government continues to heavily equip and reform military institutions, lasting peace can only be secured at the community level. He charged the chairmen to collaborate with traditional rulers, religious figures, and lawful security agencies to detect and neutralize local grievances before they erupt into full-blown crises.

With political activities quietly intensifying ahead of the 2027 general elections, Tinubu concluded by warning the council chiefs against turning their domains into breeding grounds for political violence. He demanded a strict zero-tolerance policy for political thuggery, hate speech, and youth intimidation, reminding the leaders of their core responsibility to protect the democratic right of every Nigerian to vote without fear.