Nentawe Yilwatda, All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, has called on Nigerians to hold their local government chairmen and state governors accountable for improved welfare and economic development.

He made the call on Monday in Abuja during the launch of Vicious Red Circle, a novel on human trafficking by diplomat Alex Uriaku, highlighting its negative impact on society.

Mr Yilwatda hailed President Bola Tinubu’s administration for efforts to improve living standards but stressed that state governments, receiving increased federal allocations, should do more for their citizens.

“Governors now receive two to four times more than before. They can focus on bigger projects, but they must also improve the daily lives of the people,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to engage local leaders, stating that meaningful change was possible through political participation and by pushing for reforms that directly improved citizens’ lives.

Mr Yilwatda cited economic achievements under the Mr Tinubu administration, including Nigeria’s 4.23 per cent GDP growth, higher than the World Bank’s prediction of 3 per cent, and oil production reaching 1.7 to 1.8 million barrels per day.

He emphasised that critical services like primary health and education fell under local governments, while secondary health and infrastructure fell under state governments, urging all levels to enhance citizen welfare.

Reflecting on his leadership, Mr Yilwatda noted, “I am not a former governor, yet I became the APC National Chairman. We make impossible changes aimed at improving lives.”

He called on civil society organisations to advocate for vulnerable groups, educationists to conduct impactful research, and the National Assembly to strengthen institutions and legal frameworks for better governance.

During the launch, Ike Neliaku, president of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, lauded the book, describing Mr Uriaku as a diplomat, humanitarian, and social justice advocate.

Binta Bello, director-general, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), said the book was timely, highlighting the critical reality of human trafficking in Nigeria.

Mr Uriaku, the book’s author, described human trafficking as a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle of exploitation, vulnerability, and silence, preying on the desperate, marginalised, and unseen.

“For too long, this circle has remained unbroken, operating in the shadows of society, on the edges of our awareness.

“I did not write Vicious Red Circle to add more statistics or simply tell a sad story.

“I wrote it to build a bridge of empathy, connecting the global crisis to the human experience,” Mr Uriaku explained.

(NAN)