A former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has given President Bola Tinubu a mixed review—applauding his administration’s policy direction while urging him to take bold, decisive action against state governors resisting the implementation of local government autonomy.
Speaking with journalists in Abeokuta, Showunmi said the Tinubu-led Federal Government deserves credit for “systematic thinking” and efforts to tackle inherited structural challenges, but warned that the ongoing sabotage of grassroots governance by state governors threatens to erode those gains.
“I’ll be the first to admit—they have done well in terms of ideas and policy foundation,” Showunmi said.
“But the President must now match that with political will.
“He cannot afford to allow governors to trample on the autonomy of local governments, especially when the Supreme Court has already declared where justice lies.”
Describing the governors as “clowns,” the PDP chieftain accused them of stampeding democracy by hijacking funds meant for local government councils and reducing the third tier of government to a mere extension of their political fiefdoms.
“Why go all the way to the Supreme Court to secure a judgment affirming LG autonomy, only to watch some people who call themselves governors make a mockery of it?” he asked.
“Tinubu must take charge and compel compliance. If he does, the local economy will boom. Jobs will return. Development will return. Governance will reach the grassroots.”
Showunmi decried the culture of impunity across Nigeria’s leadership class, blaming it for the country’s institutional breakdowns and erosion of public trust.
“Our problem is not the absence of laws—it is the absence of consequence. That’s why we need EFCC, ICPC, endless reforms, and still get nowhere. People don’t do the right thing because they see no punishment for wrongdoing,” he said.
Drawing a sharp contrast with China, he questioned how public officials in Nigeria continue to display obscene wealth without accountability.
“In China, you can’t be a mid-level officer and buy a Rolls-Royce without being executed for corruption. Here, people loot public funds and are celebrated,” he said.
While applauding Tinubu’s willingness to tackle long-standing economic problems, including subsidy reform and currency deregulation, Showunmi raised alarm over what he termed the “disconnect” between leadership lifestyle and citizen suffering.
“You can’t push policies that squeeze the people and still throw lavish parties in government,” he said.
“A government managing a painful transition must model austerity. It cannot be business-as-usual for those at the top while the poor are bearing the burden.”
He lamented the fact that no official has taken responsibility for the corruption-ridden fuel subsidy regime, insisting that justice must be served if ordinary Nigerians are being asked to suffer the consequences.
“You don’t punish the people while the real culprits are protected. If we are serious about subsidy reform, then those who defrauded the system must be prosecuted,” he said.
Showunmi concluded by saying that while President Tinubu has laid out a promising policy roadmap, the next phase must involve enforcing reforms across all tiers of government—especially at the local level.
“Tinubu has shown some promise. But now we need him to show power—real, courageous leadership that defends democracy, protects the people, and punishes abuse. That is how you earn legacy,” he said
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