President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reassured Nigeria’s 36 state governors that the Federal Government is not working against them on local government (LG) autonomy, recently mandated by the courts.

During a meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos, Tinubu emphasised the importance of grassroots development.

Dispelling rumours of discord, Tinubu said, “We will not fight within us. I will drive the change. You control your local governments. You can restore hope by effectively fulfilling what the people expect at the grassroots level.”

The president’s remarks, shared in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, clarified the Federal Government’s position.

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Tinubu highlighted that collaboration between the federal and state levels is pivotal for Nigeria’s progress.

“There were gossips that we had disagreements on local government autonomy. No. Just drive development at the local government,” Tinubu said.

He assured governors that their authority over local governments remains intact and urged them to work together to improve the nation.

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The president stressed that empowering local governments is not about seizing control but about fostering unity and development across all tiers of government.

“Nobody wants to take them away from you, but we need collaboration. Let’s do it together and ensure Nigeria is better off for it,” he added.

The meeting reinforced Tinubu’s commitment to grassroots development and alleviated concerns about potential conflicts over local government autonomy.