₦airaland Forum

• Daniel Bwala says President Tinubu cannot act as a prefect to the governors, urges Nigerians to hold their State governors accountable.

• Bwala made the remark against the backdrop of allocations from the Federal Government to state governments.

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala made the remarks against the backdrop of Federal Government allocations to state governments.

Bwala warned that nothing would change if Nigerians failed to hold their governors accountable.

He noted that Nigeria operate a federal system of government, hence Tinubu should not be expected to control and monitor how governors run their states.

Posting on X, the presidential aide wrote:

“The President is not a prefect to the governors. That is why I talk about federalism. They have State Houses of Assembly. At the centre, whatever the President provides for implementation goes through ministers and the National Assembly, which exercises oversight.

“Here, your House of Assembly should also exercise oversight over appropriations that come to the state. You are to call them to account. There is ₦600 million. By this month, another ₦600 million will come into this local government. The money is here.

“The President does not need to come down here and start fighting the governor. Between January and March this year, ₦2.26 billion came to the local government. If you divide it, you will understand what has come in.

“That money would have revived primary healthcare. That money would have put primary schools in place. That money would have taken care of some construction projects. That money would have improved law and order, employment, recruitment, empowerment, and the mobilisation of vigilantes to serve as a community vanguard and first line of defence for society.

“That money would have also provided prescription drugs and subsidised healthcare for the people.

“Now, if we do not hold our governors at the federated level accountable, even if the President sends $30 billion here, we will still be having the same conversation.”

https://dailypost.ng/2026/06/20/stop-blaming-tinubu-hold-governors-accountable-bwala/#mqpoqlwwqhsjk9sh9k9

But Timluubu can suspend a governor in Rivers state to please Wiked that is helping him to rig elections.

Who made Tinubu a prefect of Rivers state government?
Babablu bulabu hypocrite.

People who say citizens should hold their governors responsible for governance are illiterates.

A governor can hardly do anything where the president has failed.

The president formulate and drives policies. Policies are the engines of governance not infrastructure. Infrastructure is the oil that lubricant the engine.

Beautifulday:
People who say citizens should hold their governors responsible for governance are illiterates.

A governor can hardly do anything where the president has failed.

The president formulate and drives policies. Policies are the engines of governance not infrastructure. Infrastructure is the oil that lubricant the engine.

I agree with you.

Governors only need to receive monthly allocation, spend it on irrelevant things.

Oga Bwala

Abeg did Tinubu blame shettima during the Chibok kidnapping and others?

Ohh sorry he blamed Jona and left shettima alone.,

jmoore:
But Timluubu can suspend a governor in Rivers state to please Wiked that is helping him to rig elections.

Who made Tinubu a prefect of Rivers state government?
Babablu bulabu hypocrite.

You were quiet when the rivers house of assembly was burnt because they wanted to carry out their constitutional jobs right?

Or did you forget so soon that the assembly would have impeached him if the president didn't find a political solution to all their nonsense

The presidency is the average Nigerians problems

Flangelo12:
I agree with you.

Governors only need to receive monthly allocation, spend it on irrelevant things.

Governors building roads, schools, hospitals, etc doesn't add much to the national development except there are policies that steers the nation to the right direction.

For instance, Nigerian economy was battered with one statement by the president, "subsidy is removed from today". Did the president destroy any road, hospital or school?

Since the slogan, "go to court" began, what has become of our legal system? It continues to nosedive every breaking of the day without any bulldozer being stationed at the supreme court.

The existence of real things are sustain by mostly things not seen. The seen can only stand and prosper on the foundation of the unseen.

Beautifulday:
Governors building roads, schools, hospitals, etc doesn't add much to the national development except there are policies that steers the nation to the right direction.

For instance, Nigerian economy was battered with one statement by the president, "subsidy is removed from today". Did the president destroy any road, hospital or school?

Since the slogan, "go to court" began, what has become of our legal system? It continues to nosedive every breaking of the day without any bulldozer being stationed at the supreme court.

The existence of real things are sustain by mostly things not seen. The seen can only stand and prosper on the foundation of the unseen.

And you feel lying to yourself makes you feel proud of yourself?, your education has to be called to question. How can any sensible person say infrastructure that improves quality of life in education, health, roads, etc doesn't add much to national development?. What do you even understand by national development?

-Kiss the truth!

Total UK health expenditure was about £242 billion in 2024/25. When spread across the population, NHS and health spending works out at roughly £3,500-£4,000 per person per year. Dear BATists, how much can you say Tinubu has budgeted for your own healthcare? Before you tell me the UK is older than Nigeria, remember that Wike drives a Rolls Royce as an official car which the majority of leaders in several countries cannot afford.

MemphitzDgreat1:
Total UK health expenditure was about £242 billion in 2024/25. When spread across the population, NHS and health spending works out at roughly £3,500-£4,000 per person per year. Dear BATists, how much can you say Tinubu has budgeted for your own healthcare? Before you tell me the UK is older than Nigeria, remember that Wike drives a Rolls Royce as an official car which the majority of leaders in several countries cannot afford.

mynd44 your attention is needed here. Since you fit open mouth this morning campaign for that failure

The comment of the 2nd poster is absolutely unbelievable, especially considering that it comes coupled with an insult and again shows that we have an education problem.

Mr. Bwala is absolutely right that we must hold our state governors and local government chairmen accountable; it is our duty and not that of Mr. President.

You must ask and be concerned about how your funds are being spent. N600 million a month may seem small but for a local government it isn’t and tons can be achieved with that, all of which have been mentioned by Mr. Bwala.

Call them up, text them, email them, visit the council, contribute, expose them and do not be lazy, it is your duty not that of Mr. President though I am not a supporter of this government.

MemphitzDgreat1:
Total UK health expenditure was about £242 billion in 2024/25. When spread across the population, NHS and health spending works out at roughly £3,500-£4,000 per person per year. Dear BATists, how much can you say Tinubu has budgeted for your own healthcare? Before you tell me the UK is older than Nigeria, remember that Wike drives a Rolls Royce as an official car which the majority of leaders in several countries cannot afford.

Self-hate and low self esteem is a major disease eating up majority of you guys.

-Kiss the truth!

Nigerians should hold their governors accountable but that doesn't stop the president from overseeing the activities of the 36 governors in the country

President Tinubu may not be a prefect to state governors, but that argument becomes difficult to sustain when we have seen instances where the Federal Government has exercised enormous influence in state affairs. In the case of Port Harcourt and the political developments in Rivers State, the Presidency was far more than a prefect. That is why many Nigerians see a contradiction in the claim that the President is not a prefect.

Yes, governors should be held accountable. State Houses of Assembly should perform their oversight functions. Local government funds should be transparently managed. No reasonable person disputes that. However, accountability is not a zero-sum game. Holding governors accountable does not absolve the President of his own constitutional responsibilities.

Security remains one of the greatest concerns facing Nigerians today. The police, military, intelligence agencies, and other security institutions are under the authority of the Federal Government. Nigerians are being killed, kidnapped, displaced, and subjected to worsening insecurity across many parts of the country. Citizens are therefore justified in demanding answers and leadership from the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief.

The economic realities are equally harsh. Rising inflation, unemployment, the declining purchasing power of citizens, and the high cost of living have placed immense pressure on millions of Nigerians. These are national issues that require national leadership.

Therefore, while citizens must demand accountability from governors and local government chairmen, they must also hold the President accountable for the responsibilities assigned to his office. Both levels of government have obligations to the people.

Reducing the conversation to "blame your governor" oversimplifies the challenges confronting the nation. Nigerians deserve accountability from every elected official, not selective accountability depending on political convenience.

So he can be prefect in rivers state. he could remove a sitting governor because of his own personal gain. But when its time to do something for the masses, excuses upon excuses.

In the desperation for a second (2nd) term for the PBAT Government, all the Governors can see through the desperation and have taken position.

Every sane Nigerians know that both the constitution and the president has vested enourmous power and resources in these Governors.

FAAC has not improved, it's a devalued naira being reflected in the Naira windfall. N700B was allocated monthly when the Naira at N430/$1 now the FX rates are N1,400/$1.. The Monthly allocation for May, 2026 stand as N2.1 trillion accounting for 3X the pre-devaluation figure.

It has also been revealed that Twenty 20 Governors out of the 36 Governors are yet to fully implement the N70,000 minimum wage.

With the State Police about to be passed and the more brute powers in the hands of the executive, the Governors have been fully devolved with the Powers they crave - economic & political power.

But he was prefect to Rivers State government. Just dey play because it's the policy of federal government that will end up affecting the whole States. It's not the governors that said fuel subsidy is gone and electricity subsidy. It's the government that made data expensive and call cards with other taxes that has increased goods and services.

MemphitzDgreat1:
Total UK health expenditure was about £242 billion in 2024/25. When spread across the population, NHS and health spending works out at roughly £3,500-£4,000 per person per year. Dear BATists, how much can you say Tinubu has budgeted for your own healthcare? Before you tell me the UK is older than Nigeria, remember that Wike drives a Rolls Royce as an official car which the majority of leaders in several countries cannot afford.

You guys still think you are in 2023 where you lied and got away with it , where have you seen a minister drive a bigger car than the president as official vehicle?

More rabble rousing about everything

We can't hold out governors accountable for the dwindling economy because they are not responsible for SUBSIDY IS GONE & NAIRA FLOATING

I think secondary school students have more knowledge about this thing than many of these guys parading themselves up and down

Nigerian people, most are driven by tribalism, emotions and some are dumb. This is democracy, we practice seperation of powers, your governor owes you, from the IGR and federal allocations, scrutinize, protest and petition your governors, this is who can affect your state more and take your state indigenous people out of poverty. Every state is blessed with mineral resources, cash and food crops, what are the state governors doing with IGR?
Mining licensing fees, and utilisation of its land and human resources to make revenue?

We see how governors loot without mercy, live like middle east kings, but Nigerians will tell you, let the governor keep enjoying our money we don't care, we just don't like the president because he is Yoruba, Delta etc...very dumb, bitter and bigoted people

Mynd44:
You were quiet when the rivers house of assembly was burnt because they wanted to carry out their constitutional jobs right?

Or did you forget so soon that the assembly would have impeached him if the president didn't find a political solution to all their nonsense

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned you but you see this your comment is just one example of why Nigeria is the way it is today, because people who reason like you are currently the people in power especially at the federal level and they have supporters like you who reason like them.

You can see why Nairaland is having similarities like the way Nigeria is being handled...

But Tinubu asserted Jonathan was prefect abi ?

Bat is trying his best possible to shift blame for his incompetence.

When GEJ was there, didn't bat know that there were governors to be held responsible?

https://thenationonlineng.net/tinubu-blames-fed-govt-insecurity/

https://www.icirnigeria.org/flashback-tinubu-asked-jonathan-to-resign-in-2013-2014-but-what-has-changed-under-him/

The ego blinded dingbat cannot stomach his own criticism...

Always trying to deflate attention from the monumental failure at the center

when Jonathan was president, i should have thought that you guys would have also held the governors responsible..

Doing all the can to wish that Nigerians remain stupid and allow baba failure continue, so they can keep looting

selfish people

Fact!!!

Enough funds is given to the governors and any governor who fail to do as Enugu govetnor is doing by making sure his state is safe should not be given any scuriy votes Nbillions again.

Any governor who could not use the funds he is getting to build his state lije Otti such governor allocations should be suspended with immediate effect doing thiis will wake them up. Enough is enough of waiting for Tinubu and blaming him after given them so much Nbillions to perform.

Ask yourr governor where are the Nbillions he is getting daily, weekly, monthly?

What is tinubu doing with Federal allocations?

Neither is Tinubu accountable to Nigerians, right? Mr Bwala...