Class of ’99 Governors Tell Tinubu to Build Jobs And Not Pity
In a rare but timely intervention, the Class of 1999 Governors political contemporaries of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have issued a bold advisory to the presidency: scrap the ₦5,000 palliative gimmick and invest in real solutions jobs, industries, and rural development.
Speaking after a closed-door meeting with President Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa on Friday, the former governors — who served from 1999 to 2007 led by Chief Lucky Igbinedion, described Nigeria’s economic and security situation as dire, especially in rural communities.
If someone receives ₦5,000 in the morning, what will they eat for lunch or dinner? asked Igbinedion. “We must build cottage industries in all 774 LGAs. That’s how we empower people — not through daily handouts that insult their dignity.
The delegation warned that no amount of economic progress or currency stabilization can happen until insecurity is addressed head-on. From banditry to terrorism, the nation remains gripped by fear, with farmers displaced, businesses paralyzed, and investors hesitant.
Without security, there is no progress. Without progress, there is no nation, Igbinedion told reporters, echoing the frustrations of a populace now accustomed to hearing condolences instead of seeing solutions.
The governors proposed the urgent establishment of cottage industries across Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas — a plan that would decentralize job creation, revitalize local economies, and reduce urban migration. These small-scale factories could support agriculture, textiles, processing, and skilled trades, all while honoring the autonomy and potential of local communities.
Their argument is clear: ₦5,000 cannot buy dignity. But a steady job can restore it.
According to the delegation, President Tinubu was “warm and receptive, acknowledging the concerns and promising to look into the suggestions. However, there was no clear commitment or timeline for implementation.
This intervention by the Class of ‘99 though well-meaning also exposes a deeper truth: that those who helped build Nigeria’s Fourth Republic now feel compelled to remind their former colleague of the basics of governance.
Is this an olive branch from elder statesmen?
Or a veiled rebuke of a presidency increasingly isolated from the reality of the streets?
Nigeria doesn’t need ₦5,000 crumbs. It needs economic justice, security, and respect.
Public Reactions We Await:
Will farmers see tractors or tokens?
Will tailors get machines or mantras?
Will rural youth be trained or pacified?
Let this not be another round of elite conversations with no grassroots impact. Nigeria’s future and Tinubu’s legacy hang in the balance
