KEY POINTS
- ALGON pledges Renewed Hope Agenda rollout across 774 LGAs.
- Iliyasu Zakari inaugurated as ALGON acting national president.
- Simon Lalong appointed ALGON patron at Monday’s ceremony.
Iliyasu Zakari stepped into the role of acting national president of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria on Monday with a clear declaration: the Renewed Hope Agenda would reach every one of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
Speaking at his inauguration in Abuja, Zakari, who also serves as chairman of Agwara Local Government Council in Niger State, said the pledge reflects the association’s commitment to grassroots development and national progress. He identified deeper collaboration with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum as a key instrument for driving that agenda into rural communities where governance matters most.
Shaban Ohinoyi, chairman of ALGON’s Board of Trustees, described the inauguration as a defining moment for the association, which he said has moved past internal divisions and is now positioned to deliver.
A repositioned ALGON ready to deliver
“Today, we stand repositioned and ready to make meaningful contributions to national development, particularly at the grassroots level where governance impacts the lives of our people most directly,” Ohinoyi said.
The ceremony also produced a new patron for the association. Simon Lalong, chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC and Electoral Matters, was appointed to the role and used the occasion to stress the central importance of local government autonomy to President Tinubu’s governance vision.
“I know Mr. President appreciates the role of local governments, chairmen and councilors,” Lalong said. “That is why he is emphasising autonomy and giving attention to governance at that level for effective administration.”
Constitutional reform on the front burner
Lalong noted that Tinubu’s push for local government autonomy, which included taking the matter to the Supreme Court, signals a genuine commitment to reshaping how power reaches communities. He also added that the National Assembly is actively working to resolve constitutional barriers through ongoing amendment processes.
“The constitutional amendment is ongoing, and these issues are at the front burner. Very soon, Nigerians will see the outcome of these efforts,” he said.
Finally, the inauguration comes ahead of the 2027 general elections, adding political weight to ALGON’s public commitment to deliver the Renewed Hope Agenda at the grassroots level. Whether the association can translate Monday’s pledges into visible results across all 774 councils will be the measure of this new leadership.
