JUST IN: Bala Mohammed Sends Message To Tinubu, Tackles Him Over LG Autonomy

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has expressed concerns over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’ s stance on granting local governments full autonomy from state governments.....Read Full Article>>

This perspective comes following a Supreme Court ruling that secured financial independence for local governments, which the federal government now seeks to implement.

In an interview with Daily Trust, Governor Mohammed spoke on the current limitations of state governors’ powers, suggesting that they have become significantly constrained under President Tinubu’ s administration.

While governors are considered chief executives within their respective states, Mohammed argues that these powers have been considerably diminished by the president’ s directives.

He highlighted the contrast between Tinubu’ s approach as a governor and his policies as president, pointing out that when Tinubu was the governor of Lagos State, he not only established new local governments but also exercised significant control over them.

Mohammed contends that Tinubu’ s actions as governor allowed him greater flexibility and influence within his state, something that is now being limited for current governors through federal policies pushing for local government independence.

Governor Mohammed questioned the feasibility of the federal government’ s expectations, arguing that states cannot operate effectively without collaboration between the three tiers of government— the federal, state, and local levels. ”

Now, he tells us not to interfere or collaborate with local governments— how is that possible? States cannot function effectively without coordination with both the local government and the presidency, ” Mohammed remarked, emphasizing the need for alignment and cooperation between state and local governments to ensure efficient governance and development.

He further argued that achieving effective governance at the grassroots level requires coordination and that isolating local governments financially or administratively could potentially disrupt the synergy required for cohesive regional development.

Mohammed’ s remarks highlight a growing debate on the balance of power between the federal government and the states, especially regarding the extent of authority governors should exercise over local governments within their jurisdictions.

This ongoing dialogue underscores a broader tension in Nigerian federalism about how best to structure power dynamics to promote efficient governance at every level.

As the situation unfolds, it raises questions about the future of intergovernmental relations in Nigeria and the role of state governors in fostering localized growth and development within the constraints of federal policy.