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The Presidency has shifted responsibility for Nigeria’s worsening poverty crisis to state governors and local government authorities, insisting that President Bola Tinubu should not be held accountable for the economic hardship affecting millions of citizens.
In a strongly worded statement, presidential officials argued that the bulk of governance responsibilities that directly impact the welfare of Nigerians lie with subnational governments, not the federal administration.
Ejes Gist News reports that the Presidency maintained that the figure of 133 million Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty is largely a reflection of failures at the state and local government levels, where funds allocated for development are allegedly mismanaged or poorly utilized.
Presidency Defends Tinubu
According to the statement, poverty indicators across the country cannot be blamed solely on federal policies because governors from both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) control significant resources and constitutional powers.
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Presidential aides said state governments receive monthly allocations running into billions of naira but have not done enough to improve living conditions in their respective domains.
“The federal government cannot be everywhere at once,” a senior official said. “Governors and local councils are closer to the people and are primarily responsible for education, primary healthcare, rural development, and social services.”
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Focus on Local Government Performance
The Presidency also criticized local government administrations, accusing them of failing to deliver basic services despite constitutional mandates and regular federal allocations.
Officials argued that the persistence of poor infrastructure, inadequate schools, and failing primary healthcare centers is evidence of systemic failures at the grassroots level.
Analysts note that local governments in Nigeria depend heavily on state governors for funding and autonomy, a situation that has often sparked debates over accountability and transparency.
Rising Poverty Figures
Data from national and international agencies have consistently painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s economic realities. The National Bureau of Statistics reported that more than half of the country’s population experiences some form of multidimensional poverty.
The Presidency said such statistics reflect decades of structural neglect at the state and local levels, not policies introduced by the current federal administration.
Political Reactions
Opposition parties and civil society groups have criticized the Presidency’s position, arguing that economic policies implemented at the federal level have contributed significantly to rising living costs.
Critics point to fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate reforms, and inflationary pressures as factors that have deepened hardship for ordinary Nigerians.
Supporters of the federal government counter that the reforms are necessary long-term measures designed to stabilize the economy and attract investment.
Call for Shared Responsibility
Presidential spokesmen urged governors across party lines to take greater responsibility for development within their jurisdictions, rather than shifting blame to Abuja.
The Presidency said meaningful poverty reduction can only occur when states and local councils prioritize job creation, education, healthcare, and rural infrastructure.
As debate continues over who bears responsibility for Nigeria’s economic challenges, the federal government insists that the fight against poverty requires collective action from all tiers of government.
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No official response has yet been issued by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum or individual state governments regarding the Presidency’s accusations.
