Breaking: Oba of Benin Announces Preferred Candidate as Obi, Tinubu, Atiku Slug It Out, Video Trends
- The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, received Tinubu's Presidential Campaign Council at the Benin Palace on Tuesday, September 15
- The monarch warned Nigerians against demanding change without good reason, while stressing the Benin throne remains non-partisan
- PCC Director-General Abdulaziz Yari led the delegation to seek royal blessings for Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - The Oba of Benin, Omo N'Oba N'Edo Uku'Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, has warned Nigerians not to push for a change in government simply out of habit or frustration, saying change must be driven by genuine reason rather than sentiment.
The monarch made the remarks on Tuesday, September 15, at the Benin Palace during a visit by members of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), who were led by their Director-General, Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State. The delegation came to seek royal prayers and blessings for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's bid to win a second term in the 2027 elections.
Source: Twitter
Opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) are eyeing Tinubu's seat.
Oba Ewuare II was careful to draw a distinction between his remarks and a political endorsement, insisting that the Benin throne does not align with any party.
"The Benin throne is not partisan. There is no point for change for the sake of change. That is not to say that I belong to one party or the other," he said.
Oba of Benin on opposition and cooperation
The Oba also challenged the idea that opposition parties must always work against the ruling government, arguing that cooperation between political actors could serve the broader national interest.
"In democracy there must be opposition when a party comes to power. I don't see why an opposition party can't support the ruling party," he said.
He appealed to former governors, senators and other political figures to place the country's needs above party loyalties, adding that no leader should be held to an impossible standard of perfection.
"Is there anybody who is so perfect as I am talking now? Nobody. I love and like peace and tranquillity. I am American and British trained as a diplomat, and I say it the way it is," the monarch said.
Yari outlines Tinubu's economic claims
Yari told the Oba that the purpose of the visit was clear and straightforward: to ask for royal support ahead of the 2027 election.
"Our mission today is simple: Mr. President formed the campaign council for his re-election. We are here to seek royal blessings, prayers, and support for the re-election of your son, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, come 2027," he said.
The PCC Director-General also cited what he described as economic progress under the Tinubu administration, saying annual GDP growth had risen from 2.7 per cent in 2023 to 3.9 per cent, while inflation had fallen from 22.9 per cent to 15.9 per cent.
He added that the administration had worked to bring stability to the foreign exchange market and argued that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate remained the right person to continue leading Nigeria.
Watch Oba of Benin's trending video below via X:
Read more on 2027 election
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- 2027 election: VDM warns Nigerians about Goodluck Jonathan and PDP, “he is sponsored by Tinubu”
ChatGPT predicts winner of 2027 election
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that ChatGPT predicted that the ruling APC would likely win Nigeria's 2027 presidential election, using the Four Horsemen framework.
It cited the current opposition coalition but said the ruling APC has the edge due to possible low voter turnout and the Tinubu administration's efforts to stabilise the economy.
The political climate reached a point where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had to issue a warning that campaigning at that time was illegal, echoing the standpoint of popular human rights lawyer Femi Falana.
Source: Legit.ng
