Nigerian councillors appoint Bagudu as grand patron, cite development strides
The National Councillors’ Forum of Nigeria has appointed the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, as its grand patron.
The forum, which comprises 8,809 serving councillors across the country, said the appointment was in recognition of the minister’s contributions to national development.
“Your dedication to public service and to the development of our country makes you a perfect fit for this prestigious position,” the forum stated in a letter dated April 23, 2026, and signed by its president, Hon. Abdulrazak Sama’ila.
During a visit over the weekend, Sama’ila presented the letter of appointment to the minister, noting that he would be expected to support efforts to promote good governance, transparency and accountability at the grassroots level.
He added that members of the forum looked forward to benefiting from Bagudu’s experience and expertise in advancing local governance.
In his response, Bagudu expressed appreciation for the honour, saying it would motivate him to intensify efforts aimed at strengthening the grassroots economy. He reiterated the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to improving living standards through reforms in local governance, particularly under the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme.
According to him, the initiative is designed to stimulate economic activities at the ward level by identifying dominant commercial ventures across the country’s 8,809 wards and supporting eligible sectors.
The minister added that the programme is expected to benefit about 10 million Nigerians, adding that it would significantly support the administration’s poverty reduction drive.
