By Solomon OKPO
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on the media to intensify scrutiny of state and local government administrations, stressing that Nigeria’s development cannot be driven solely by the Federal Government.
Speaking on the need for shared responsibility in governance, the President said the country’s federal structure empowers other tiers of government with resources and authority that must be properly monitored.
According to him, recent reforms have strengthened the principle of federalism, particularly with improved financial autonomy for local governments, which now receive funds meant for grassroots development more directly.
Tinubu noted that the responsibility of ensuring that such funds are properly utilized lies partly with the media through consistent oversight and public accountability reporting.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money. But how they use it is in your hands. So don’t bombard me alone; look at the local government too,” the President said.
He emphasized that journalists and media organisations play a critical role in deepening democratic governance by holding leaders at all levels accountable to the people.
The President further urged media practitioners to broaden their focus beyond federal authorities to include state and local governments, noting that effective monitoring of public officials across all tiers of government would enhance transparency and accelerate national development.
