Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot deliver meaningful economic reforms without fundamentally restructuring Nigeria’s political governance system.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Agbakoba argued that despite reports of GDP growth, ordinary Nigerians are not feeling the impact, as food prices and living costs continue to soar.
“When the National Bureau of Statistics says GDP grew by 3.3%, is that what people feel on the streets? Garri, rice, beans, and palm oil are becoming unaffordable,” Agbakoba said.
He urged President Tinubu to urgently devolve powers from the federal level, particularly those under the exclusive legislative list, to the state governments—and for states to further empower local governments.
“Whether you call it restructuring, decentralization, or devolution, the President must begin to move powers closer to the people. States should take more responsibility, and so should the 774 local governments. That’s how services—education, healthcare, jobs, and security—can truly reach Nigerians,” Agbakoba stressed.
He described Nigeria’s current centralized system as incapable of supporting real development, warning that without bold political reforms, Tinubu’s economic agenda will continue to falter.
“The President has two years left. He must go into them with vigour. Nigerians don’t care about political theory—they want results. They want functional schools, clinics, jobs, good pensions. Rejig the system, and those results will follow,” he added.
