Walk the Talk on Renewed Hope Agenda, Atoyebi Challenges Governors
The convener of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group (BAT-IG), Honourable Bamidele Atoyebi, has called on state governors across Nigeria to translate their public endorsements of the Federal Government’s “Renewed Hope” agenda into measurable development outcomes at the grassroots level.
Atoyebi said while governors and political stakeholders have openly applauded President Bola Tinubu’s reform-driven vision at high-level gatherings, the real test of loyalty lies not in commendations but in visible transformation within states and local governments.
He argued that Nigerians are increasingly demanding concrete improvements in infrastructure, education, healthcare and fiscal transparency rather than political rhetoric.
The policy advocate noted that recent fiscal reforms by the Federal Government have significantly increased allocations to states and local governments, describing the development as unprecedented since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.
With the center absorbing the political cost of structural adjustments and economic realignments, he maintained that governors now have a clearer pathway to drive grassroots development.
Using a biblical analogy, Atoyebi framed his argument around the question, “If I am a father, where is my honor? If I am a master, where is my fear?” He said the “honor” owed to national leadership should be reflected in tangible outcomes such as motorable roads, functional hospitals and transparent management of local government funds.
He emphasized that true alignment with the Renewed Hope vision requires governors to become active executors rather than ceremonial ambassadors.
According to him, loyalty to reform should manifest in competitive productivity among states, replacing what he described as stagnation and the persistent underdevelopment that continues to affect many communities.
Atoyebi identified education and healthcare as critical benchmarks for assessing the seriousness of state governments. He urged governors to aggressively tackle the challenge of out-of-school children by building new schools, rehabilitating existing ones and ensuring access to quality education.
He also advocated for free education and healthcare for all children up to the age of 18, arguing that such social investments would serve as visible proof of renewed governance.
On healthcare, he called for the construction of modern, well-equipped hospitals capable of delivering quality services at the state level, stressing that citizens should not have to rely on distant tertiary facilities for basic medical care.
The convener described the gap between rising federal allocations and limited visible development in some states as a “sad spectacle,” warning that citizens are no longer satisfied with promises of a brighter future. Instead, he said, they expect that future to be evident in their communities through improved public services and infrastructure.
He further stated that governance must move from proclamations in state houses to measurable impact in villages and local councils, likening the situation to a tree expected to bear fruit after being carefully nurtured. In his view, the Renewed Hope agenda can only succeed when its benefits are felt as strongly in rural communities as they are articulated in political speeches.
Atoyebi concluded that the success of Nigeria’s development agenda is a shared responsibility, with the Federal Government providing policy direction and funding while states deliver implementation and accountability.
He maintained that the burden of proof now rests squarely on governors to demonstrate that they are aligned with the reform agenda through visible and sustained results.
Bamidele Atoyebi is the Convener of BAT Ideological Group, National Coordinator of Accountability and Policy Monitoring and a publisher at Unfiltered and Mining Reporting.
