President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to establishing state police and enforcing local government autonomy with direct funding, declaring that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will not fail in delivering on these reforms. Speaking at the APC National Caucus Meeting held at the State House in Abuja, Tinubu said security and grassroots governance were central to his agenda.

On local government autonomy, Tinubu stressed compliance with the Supreme Court ruling saying local govt autonomy must be effective with funded mandate. We’ll give them their money directly. The President urged party leaders to embrace reconciliation and flexibility, remain active at state and local levels, and promote women’s inclusion in governance.

He also extended condolences over the death of the deputy governors of Bayelsa State. Vice President Kashim Shettima, in his remarks, cautioned against complacency, drawing lessons from history. Shettima highlighted APC’s dominance across the regions, describing the party as “a force of nature.” He noted that APC controls most states in the South-South, North-Central, North-West, South-West, and North-East.

On his part, APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, addressing the caucus for the first time since his election, praised Tinubu’s leadership and credited him for strengthening the party’s national acceptance.

He pointed to recent high-profile defections, including governors from Bayelsa, Enugu, Taraba, and Rivers States, as evidence of APC’s expanding influence and announced that APC now commands overwhelming majorities in both chambers of the National Assembly. APC stalwarts attended the caucus meeting.