Tinubu, Arewa Consultative Forum Leaders Discuss Collaborative Measures to Tackle Poverty In Northern Nigeria

President Bola Tinubu received Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) leaders at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday to collaborate on measures to deal with the poverty in the country, especially in Northern Nigeria.

ACF, which was formed in 2000, was an association of leaders in Northern Nigeria, who influenced Nigerian politics.

Tinubu pointed out during the meeting that education was the key to fixing poverty issues in the country, noting that there were many out-of-school children, which was unacceptable.

"We must use our education to serve the people and improve their conditions. We must develop the backbone of Nigeria's economy, which is the education system. We will collaborate with you on this intensively," he said, as per the official statement shared on X (formerly known as Twitter).

"We are still building Nigeria, and I am glad that you have emphasized the need for development. The infrastructure decay is unacceptable, and the level of poverty in the north is unacceptable. We must eliminate the source of these trends."

Furthermore, the president urged the state governors to keep a check on local communities and make them their priorities. He also urged the Arewa leaders to hold respective governors accountable.

Tinubu emphasized that he is doing his very best to enhance the country's revenue, adding that governors must be equally sympathetic and urgently consider the needs of the local people.

The president noted that people live in local communities, and they work in the same place. Hence, it is the local governments that need to be effective in delivering services.

"As leaders, we must not hang on to the numbers. We have 774 local government areas, but are they truly effective? Do they solve problems for Nigerians? Do they coordinate development programming with the state and federal governments?" Tinubu questioned.

He urged the authorities to update themselves, noting that what was good four years ago may not be appropriate today. The president called out those governors who look at locals only when they need votes, and after getting votes, focus on Abuja.