“1999 Governors To Tinubu: Rural Insecurity Threatens Nigeria’s Future!”

Former Edo State Governor, Lucky Igbinedion, on Friday led a delegation of the 1999 governors to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where they urged President Bola Tinubu to shift attention from short-term palliatives to sustainable solutions focused on rural security and job creation, ACCORDING TO IREPORTER ONLINE.

The meeting marked the second official visit of the “Class of ’99” — Nigeria’s first set of governors under the Fourth Republic — to Tinubu since he assumed office in 2023. Their first engagement took place on July 12, 2023, shortly after his inauguration.

ACCORDING TO IREPORTER ONLINE, Igbinedion told journalists after the closed-door meeting that the delegation highlighted pressing national concerns, particularly the escalating insecurity in rural communities, the economic downturn, and the need for agricultural revitalization.

He emphasized that peace in Nigeria’s rural areas was the bedrock of any meaningful development.

“The first and foremost thing is security,” Igbinedion stated, “We told Mr. President that without security, there can be no progress or stability.”

He also criticised the Federal Government’s overdependence on cash handouts and palliatives to address economic hardship, insisting that investment in local, job-generating cottage industries would yield longer-lasting benefits.

“We advised him to establish cottage industries across all local government areas in the country so citizens can find sustainable employment. If you give someone ₦5,000 today, what happens at lunch or dinner? That money won’t go far,” Igbinedion noted.

ACCORDING TO IREPORTER ONLINE, the President reportedly welcomed the delegation’s suggestions, acknowledging the need for deeper reforms in security and the economy.

Discussions also touched on stabilizing the naira and bolstering local production to curb inflation and enhance access to basic goods.

Igbinedion described the talks as a candid, heart-to-heart session that revealed Tinubu’s willingness to act on the group’s proposals.

The Class of ’99 — which includes notable figures such as former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu, ex-PDP Chairman Ahmed Makarfi, and current Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume — continues to wield significant political influence in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.

”IREPORTER REPORTS”