Don’t Bombard Me Alone” – President Tinubu Challenges Media to Scrutinise Governors, LGs as Aso Rock Iftar Hosts Media Chiefs

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigerian media executives to extend the same level of scrutiny they apply to his administration to state governments and local councils, arguing that they now enjoy greater financial autonomy under his reform-driven federalism.

The President made the call on Friday night while hosting media proprietors and top executives to an Iftar dinner at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Speaking candidly during the engagement, Tinubu said the media should not focus its criticism solely on the Federal Government but should also hold sub-national governments accountable for how they manage public funds.

“Don’t bombard me alone,” the President told the gathering.

“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money. But how they use it is in your hands. Look at local governments too, and equally the sub-national.”

The President also revealed that no state government in Nigeria is currently borrowing to pay workers’ salaries, attributing the development to reforms implemented by his administration.

According to him, while challenges remain, the country must learn to manage available resources prudently.

“We can complain it’s not enough, and we can complain that we are not where we should be, but we must manage what we have to sustain today, survive tomorrow, and make progress,” Tinubu said.

For years, many of Nigeria’s 36 states struggled to meet salary obligations, often relying on federal bailouts and loans especially during periods of low oil revenue and economic downturn.

However, the Tinubu administration said increased allocations to states and local governments have followed improved crude oil production, stronger revenue generation by the Federal Inland Revenue Service now renamed the National Revenue Service and the direct payment of local government allocations after the Supreme Court of Nigeria granted financial autonomy to local councils in July 2024.

The President also thanked media proprietors for their relentless criticism, noting that the pressure from newspapers and opinion leaders pushed him to perform better.

“If I look at the barrage of negative comments as opposed to the positive aspects of the assignment, I shouldn’t be standing here today,” he said.

“You didn’t spare me, but you challenged me and provoked the intellectual curiosity of a leader that must perform.”

Tinubu also made a personal revelation, describing reading newspapers every morning as an “addiction.”

“There is no morning that I leave my house without going through the newspapers. I read all of you maybe not in full detail, but the headlines, the ones that hit me,” he disclosed.

The President admitted that he was initially “a little stubborn” at the start of his administration due to heavy criticism from media outlets and commentators.

However, he defended some of his most controversial decisions, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy shortly after he assumed office in May 2023.

According to Tinubu, decisive leadership was necessary to prevent Nigeria from sliding into economic collapse.

“At that time we had to confront the subsidy. Nigeria was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy,” he said.

“But having asked for the job and getting it, I couldn’t look back other than make corrections as I move along, save the nation and bring it back from the brink.”

The President insisted that the country has since pulled back from the brink of economic collapse, citing improvements in foreign exchange management and efforts to stabilise inflation.

“Today I can stand proudly before you that we are back from that brink,” Tinubu said.

Despite the criticism his government has faced, the President stressed that he does not consider critics as enemies but as contributors to national development.

“I don’t categorise anybody as arch-critical. I see them as stimulators who can build a nation,” he noted.

Tinubu also acknowledged the harsh economic realities facing media organisations, particularly the difficulty of funding operations in challenging economic times.

He said global events—from conflicts in the Middle East to shifts in international markets continue to impact Nigeria’s economy and the media industry.

The President disclosed that tariffs affecting the media sector were discussed earlier in the day and promised to revisit the matter if necessary.

Friday’s Iftar, the last hosted by the President for the 2026 Ramadan season, drew leading media executives from across Nigeria’s print, broadcast and digital platforms.

Tinubu concluded by pledging continued dedication to improving the country.

“It’s a collective responsibility,” he said. “You, myself and those we assign responsibilities to must work together to improve Nigeria.”