FCC, PGF Charge 774 LG Chairmen to Deepen National Unity Through Inclusive Grassroots Governance

…As Tinubu, Omidiran, Musa, Egbewole, Pate, Others Demand Inclusive Governance, Accountability

The Federal Character Commission (FCC), in collaboration with the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), has charged chairmen of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas to promote inclusive governance, equitable development and national unity at the grassroots.

The call was made at a two-day National Workshop for Local Government Chairmen held in Abuja, with the theme, “Deepening National Unity Through Grassroots Implementation of the Federal Character Principle.”

The workshop brought together Local Government Chairmen from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, senior government officials, academics, development experts, security stakeholders and other key actors.

The engagement focused on translating the Federal Character Principle into practical governance by promoting equitable distribution of opportunities and infrastructure, strengthening grassroots institutions, improving service delivery and fostering national cohesion.

Representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, urged the Local Government Chairmen to make inclusive governance a reality in their respective councils.

President Tinubu stressed that Local Governments remain the closest tier of government to the people and therefore have a critical role to play in ensuring that citizens benefit directly from government policies and programmes.

He urged the chairmen to rise above sectional interests and promote fairness, equity, inclusion and national unity in the administration of their councils.

The Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, described the workshop as a strategic platform for strengthening the implementation of the Federal Character Principle at the grassroots.

Omidiran said Nigeria’s diversity should be regarded as a strength rather than a weakness, stressing that fairness, equity and inclusion were essential to building a united and prosperous nation.

She urged the Local Government Chairmen to ensure that appointments, development projects, social amenities and opportunities within their councils reflected the principles of fairness and inclusiveness.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab O. Egbewole, SAN, said effective grassroots governance was critical to national development.

Egbewole explained that the Federal Character Principle was fundamentally about creating a sense of belonging among Nigeria’s diverse peoples, urging the chairmen to discharge their constitutional and administrative responsibilities with justice, transparency and accountability.

He said the implementation of Federal Character should go beyond appointments to include equitable access to education, healthcare, infrastructure, economic opportunities and other essential services.

In his keynote contribution, Prof. Umaru Pate emphasised the importance of equitable healthcare and human development as key components of inclusive governance.

Pate urged the Local Government Chairmen to strengthen primary healthcare delivery, support community-based interventions and use reliable data to identify and address the needs of vulnerable populations.

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd.), OFR, called for stronger grassroots security through collaboration among Local Governments, communities, traditional institutions, religious leaders and security agencies.
Musa noted that Local Government leaders possessed valuable knowledge of their communities and could contribute significantly to early warning, intelligence gathering, conflict prevention and community engagement.

Representing the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Senator Hope Uzodimma, the Director-General of the PGF, Mr. Folorunso S. Aluko, said Local Government autonomy must be accompanied by transparency, responsibility and accountability.

He urged council chairmen to embrace prudent financial management, transparent budgeting, merit-based appointments, procurement integrity, audit compliance and meaningful engagement with citizens.

The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the Federal Character Principle should not be viewed merely as a mechanism for distributing appointments.

Issa-Onilu described it as a principle designed to promote fairness, inclusion and a sense of belonging, urging Local Government leaders to use their positions to strengthen national identity and social cohesion.

Other contributors to the workshop included the Director-General of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Muyi Aina; Director-General of the National Bureau of Statistics, Mr. Adeyemi Adeniran; National President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Dr. Ogbona Chime; President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Dr. Aminu Muazu-Maifata; Managing Director of Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, Mr. Akinola Odeyemi; and Kano State Commissioner for Local Government, Hon. Tajudeen Usman.

Their contributions focused on healthcare, data-driven governance, town planning, electricity, Local Government administration and socio-economic development.

The Oyo State Federal Commissioner of the Federal Character Commission and Chairman of the Planning Committee of the workshop, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, MDII, said the ultimate objective of the programme was to ensure that the Federal Character Principle translated into measurable benefits for Nigerians.

Aleshinloye urged the 774 Local Government Chairmen to return to their respective councils with renewed commitment to equitable governance, inclusive development and responsible leadership.

He said Local Governments were strategically positioned to identify the peculiar needs of their communities and ensure that development projects, infrastructure, social amenities and opportunities were distributed fairly.

At the conclusion of the workshop, Aleshinloye expressed appreciation to the Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, members of the Planning Committee, FCC management and staff, the Progressive Governors’ Forum, speakers, facilitators, Local Government Chairmen, delegates, security agencies, partners and service providers for their contributions to the success of the programme.

The Federal Character Commission, in a renewed commitment to its constitutional mandate, reaffirmed that national unity must be built from the grassroots through fairness, equity and inclusion.

The Commission maintained that every Nigerian, regardless of location or background, should have a genuine sense of belonging, stressing that the resolutions from the workshop must translate from policy into practical action for equitable development, inclusive governance, peaceful coexistence and sustainable national unity.