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Governors from the North East yesterday presented a list of security and infrastructure demands to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who assured them that his administration would take concrete steps to address their concerns.
Led by Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, the governors met with the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where they emphasised the peculiar challenges of the region, including insecurity, difficult terrain, and underdevelopment.
Yesterday’s meeting came on the heels of resolutions reached by the governors after a two-day retreat in Jalingo, Taraba State, at the weekend. Their renewed push also followed data analyses of federal capital projects under the current administration, which was observed to have placed the North East at a disadvantage compared with other regions, particularly the South West and North West.
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Zulum, speaking on behalf of his colleagues, said the governors had resolved to partner with the president in delivering good governance but stressed the need for federal support to consolidate stability in the sub-region. Their requests included continued military operations in Lake Chad and Sambisa Forest, funding for the Multinational Joint Task Force, and the resumption of oil exploration at Kolmani and Lake Chad frontier wells.
They also called for completion of key infrastructure projects, such as the Kano–Maiduguri Road, the Port Harcourt–Jos–Bauchi–Maiduguri railway, and several interstate roads, including the Bama–Mubi–Yola, Wukari–Jalingo–Yola, Bauchi–Gombe–Biu–Damaturu, and Damaturu–Geidam routes.
Responding, President Tinubu acknowledged the governors’ efforts, particularly their reliance on civilian JTFs alongside security agencies, and promised to explore state policing through discussions with the National Assembly.
“Politics apart, we can work with the legislature to eliminate political concerns from state police and make it indigenous to the community. That will provide an additional buffer for safety and effectiveness,” he said.
The president also assured the governors that his focus remained on security, development, and good governance, despite what he described as attempts by opposition parties to draw the ruling APC into early politicking.
“Whichever way it is, I am not distracted. I am solidly focused on what lies ahead. Politics will happen at its time, but working together, as we have been doing, is the way to build the Nigeria of our dreams,” he said.
He added that “working together the way we have been is the way to go to build the Nigeria of our dreams. There’s no way politics will not interfere once in a while. It is for us to embrace the heart of winning, and from that heart we know the superior thinkers and doers. Our political party will prove itself eventually.”
Zulum, meanwhile, commended Tinubu for sustaining the fight against insurgency, tackling natural disasters, and prioritising agriculture and food security. He said the governors were “fully aligned” with the president’s renewed hope agenda and confident that the partnership would transform the North East.
