Oba of Benin Calls for Governance Continuity as APC Campaign Council Seeks Royal Support for Tinubu

BENIN CITY — The 2027 presidential campaign is beginning to take its message beyond conventional political gatherings, with the APC Presidential Campaign Council seeking the backing and prayers of traditional institutions across Nigeria.

At the Benin Palace on Tuesday, September 15, the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku’Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, told political leaders that Nigerians should not pursue political change simply because it represents change.

The monarch made the remarks while receiving a delegation led by the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Abdulaziz Yari, which visited the palace to seek royal blessings, prayers and support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. Multiple reports of the meeting confirmed the substance of the remarks.

Oba stresses neutrality of Benin throne

While speaking about continuity, Oba Ewuare II was careful to distinguish his comments from formal political endorsement.

The monarch said the Benin throne remains non-partisan and that his position should not be interpreted as belonging to the APC or any other political party.

His argument centred on the principle that a change of government should be assessed on its consequences and performance rather than pursued simply because an alternative exists.

The Oba also called for greater cooperation between political actors, including the ruling party and opposition parties. He argued that opposition remains an essential component of democracy but said political disagreements should not prevent cooperation on issues considered to be in the national interest.

The monarch further appealed to former governors, senators and other political leaders to work together for the country, while cautioning against excessive criticism of those in government.

Yari makes case for Tinubu’s second term

The visit formed part of the APC campaign council’s consultations ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Yari told the monarch that the delegation had come specifically to request royal blessings, prayers and support for Tinubu’s bid for another term. He described the President as the monarch’s “son” and presented the administration’s economic performance as part of the case for continuity.

Among the economic indicators cited by Yari were GDP growth, inflation and developments in the foreign exchange market.

However, the figures used by the campaign council should be understood as claims made during a political mobilisation exercise rather than independently established campaign conclusions.

Official Nigerian statistics do show that economic indicators have changed significantly under the current administration. The National Bureau of Statistics’ latest data place headline inflation at about 15.9 per cent, while its Q2 2026 GDP report records stronger economic growth than the previous quarter.

The International Monetary Fund, in its 2026 Article IV assessment, projected real GDP growth of 4.1 per cent for Nigeria in 2026 and 4.3 per cent in 2027, while projecting average consumer-price inflation of 16.0 per cent in 2026 and 15.9 per cent in 2027.

These figures provide broader economic context, although they do not by themselves establish whether Nigerians will judge the government’s performance positively or negatively at the ballot box.

Edo government also backs Tinubu’s re-election

The Edo State Government was represented at the palace by Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa, who stood in for Governor Monday Okpebholo.

Idahosa thanked the Oba for receiving the delegation and for the royal blessings. He also expressed support for Tinubu’s second-term bid, linking the appeal to what he described as the political interests of Southern Nigeria.

He said the Edo State Government had projects it could point to during the campaign and expressed confidence that voters in the state would support Tinubu in 2027. That statement was made by the deputy governor and represents the position of the Edo State administration, rather than an independently verified prediction of voting behaviour.

Who accompanied Yari to the palace?

Yari’s delegation included several prominent APC figures and former political office holders.

Those listed among the delegation were Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume; former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; former Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari; former Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff; and former Senate President Pius Anyim.

Other members included James Faleke, Sunday Dare, Abdul’malik Zubairu, Prof. Joseph Terlumun, Professor Ussiju Medaner Al-Mustapha, Lawal Funtua, Lawal M. Liman, Muhammad Gololo and Nasiruddeen Abdul’aziz Yari.

The visit follows other consultations by Yari with traditional rulers. Punch reported that the campaign council had also visited the Sultan of Sokoto and the Oba of Lagos as part of its mobilisation efforts.

Why the Benin Palace visit matters

The meeting comes as Nigeria moves deeper into the 2027 electoral cycle.

INEC officially released its notice and timetable for the 2027 general elections in February 2026. The commission initially fixed the presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, with governorship and State Assembly elections scheduled for March 6. INEC subsequently indicated that the timetable had been revised following the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026.

Against that background, the APC campaign council’s engagement with traditional institutions represents an effort to establish relationships with influential community and cultural institutions ahead of the election.

Traditional rulers do not conduct elections or determine how citizens vote, but their public comments can become part of the wider political conversation, particularly in regions where traditional institutions retain substantial cultural influence.

The Oba’s insistence that the Benin throne is non-partisan is therefore significant. His remarks combined a call for continuity with an explicit statement that the position should not be interpreted as formal membership or endorsement of a political party.

What Nigerians should watch next

The political debate over continuity is likely to become more prominent as the 2027 election approaches.

For voters, the central questions will extend beyond endorsements from political figures and traditional institutions. They include the government’s economic record, inflation and household purchasing power, employment, infrastructure, security, public services, exchange-rate conditions and the implementation of reforms.

The APC campaign council is expected to continue its consultations and mobilisation activities as the election approaches, while opposition parties will present their own assessments of the government’s record and alternative policy proposals.

The 2027 presidential election is currently scheduled by INEC for February 20, 2027, subject to the commission’s revised electoral timetable and any subsequent lawful changes.