Tinubu Blames Insecurity for Weak Grassroots Governance.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said on Friday that his administration is working to give Nigeria’s 774 local government councils financial independence as part of a broader effort to strengthen democracy and make governance deliver real benefits to citizens at the grassroots level. In his Democracy Day speech, the President explained that democratic governance loses its meaning when people do not feel its effects. “Recognising that democracy is undermined when people do not feel its impact, my administration has sought financial autonomy for our 774 local councils,” Tinubu said. He identified weak local‑government administration as a major obstacle to national development, stating that “a fundamental challenge to our nation’s advancement has been ineffective local government administration.” The President also linked the country’s security challenges to failures in grassroots governance. “The insecurity we are addressing is partly due to the collapse of grassroots governance,” he said. According to Tinubu, the Renewed Hope Agenda aims to ensure that governance works for all citizens. “The Renewed Hope Agenda is about ensuring that all Nigerians benefit from governance,” he added. Reflecting on Nigeria’s history, the President said each generation has a defining national task. “Every generation has a defining responsibility. The generation of our founding fathers secured independence – the generation of June 12 secured democracy. Our generation must secure prosperity,” Tinubu said. He urged Nigerians to work together for national progress, calling on citizens to reject negativity and embrace a shared vision for the country. “Let us move forward together – rejecting division, cynicism, and despair; embracing unity, hope, and confidence,” the President said. Tinubu further appealed for collective commitment to nation‑building, saying, “Let us build a Nigeria united by a common purpose, strengthened by diversity, where justice is accessible, liberty is secure, and opportunity is abundant.”