•Tinubu and Oba Akiolu
The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has declared that there is no vacancy in the Presidential Villa for the next four or five years, signalling his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in office.
Akiolu spoke during a courtesy visit by the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), at the Oba Palace, Lagos led by its Director-General, Abdulaziz Yari.
The monarch also urged politicians to ensure that the 2027 general election was peaceful and conducted in a manner that would benefit Nigerians, reports The Nation.
“For the next four or five years, there is no vacancy in Aso Rock,” he said.
He urged members of the campaign council to be honest in their dealings and avoid actions capable of undermining peace and stability in the country.
The monarch said the forthcoming election should not be approached through the Machiavellian principle that the end justifies the means, stressing the need for responsible political conduct.
Yari said the delegation was at the palace as part of its first outing to seek the monarch’s blessing, prayers and advice ahead of its nationwide campaign activities.
He said the council had earlier visited the Sokoto Caliphate before proceeding to Lagos to pay homage to the Oba.
The DG appealed for continued support for Tinubu, saying members of the council believed the President deserved another term to consolidate what he described as the gains of his administration.
According to him, the council was particularly convinced by the administration’s efforts to address economic challenges, insecurity and infrastructure development.
He acknowledged that Nigerians were still facing economic difficulties but argued that some indicators showed improvement, particularly in the availability of funds and efforts to stabilise the economy.
Yari also defended the administration’s handling of insecurity, saying Tinubu had continued to provide support and equipment for the military and police in the fight against insecurity.
He recalled that Tinubu had previously supported the emergence of former President Muhammadu Buhari because of the security challenges confronting the country at the time.
Yari said the support for Tinubu was not merely a matter of political reciprocity but was based on the belief that the President should be allowed to continue with his plans for the country.
He assured that members of the council from the North would work to ensure that the President’s re-election bid received the necessary support in the region.
Receiving the delegation, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu described the visit as significant, noting that the council had chosen to visit the Oba immediately after its engagement in Sokoto.
Sanwo-Olu said the delegation was seeking the royal blessing of the Oba before commencing its wider political assignment across the country.
He described the members of the council as eminent Nigerians who had served the country in various capacities, including as former governors, a former Senate President, former speakers and serving governors.
The governor said Lagos remained important to the political process, describing the state as both the commercial and economic nerve centre of the country and a major political centre.
He said the presence of the council at the palace reflected the importance attached to the traditional institution and its role in the political process.
Sanwo-Olu also acknowledged the presence of Lagos APC leaders, local government chairmen, members of the National Assembly and state lawmakers at the event.
The visit was attended by other APC leaders and stakeholders in Lagos.
