Nigeria needs peace and stability to achieve progress and development, President Bola Tinubu said on Tuesday.
“Nigeria needs peace and stability to move forward. Nigeria belongs to all of us, and we have to take care of it,” he said at a meeting with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) at his residence in Lagos.
He said the federal and sub-national governments of Nigeria have the mutual responsibility of ensuring the country’s peace and stability, according to a statement by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.
The President restated his condemnation of the latest killings on Sunday in two local governments of
Plateau State.
Tinubu directed security agencies to halt the carnage in the state and also intensify the pursuit of those responsible for the recent tragic events in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas.
Condoling with the victims, President Tinubu emphasized the sanctity of human life and called for a paradigm shift among those with contrary beliefs, cautioning them about the inevitable consequences of their actions.
While acknowledging the presence of Gov. Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State at the meeting, Tinubu commended him for his efforts to peacefully resolve the political challenges in the state.
“I thank you for your statesmanship. I listened to your broadcast and your emphasis on peace. It is only with peace that effective governance can thrive, and governance has commenced in earnest under my watch,” Persecondnews quotes the President as saying.
On the 2024 budget before the National Assembly, the President informed the governors that he had a review meeting earlier in the day on certain elements in the Appropriation Bill with the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu.
He stressed the need for joint responsibility and closer collaboration between the federal and sub-national governments to foster rapid infrastructural development in every part of the nation.
“I want us to discard federal, state, or rural road classifications. We must regard development as a joint responsibility. Let us prioritize our children.
“The school feeding programme must return quickly, beginning from the local government to the state and federal governments.
“We must be ready to protect our children and prepare them for the future,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman of NGF and Kwara Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq sympathized with the government and the people of Plateau State over last Sunday and Monday massacre.
“May God be with the souls of the departed and bring peace to Plateau State. The Governor of Plateau State, we are with you; stay strong.”
Abdulrazaq reaffirmed state governments’ support for the bold decisions and reforms initiated by President Tinubu’s administration.
“These are challenging times. It is not a walk in the park. Removing fuel subsidies had a great structural effect on the economy of the states. But we are confident that we will overcome these challenges and bounce back better,” he said.
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