Edo Governor Orders Commissioners to Wear Tinubu Cap to Meetings

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has issued a stern directive to newly appointed commissioners, insisting that attendance at Executive Council meetings will be denied to any member who fails to wear the “Asiwaju cap” as a mark of allegiance to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Governor Okpebholo made the statement during the swearing-in ceremony of the new commissioners in Benin City, where he emphasised loyalty to the president and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as essential qualities for members of his administration.

According to the governor, the symbolic cap represents respect for President Tinubu’s leadership and recognition of his role in stabilising governance across the country.

“This inauguration could not have taken place if we did not have a responsible president,” Okpebholo declared. “We have conducted many elections here in Edo, and one of our biggest challenges was that the president was not with us. But today, we say thank you to Asiwaju for standing with us.”

The governor went on to warn the commissioners to demonstrate visible loyalty, saying: “I will not forgive any commissioner who fails to wear this cap. In our Executive Council meetings, if you are not in a suit but prefer to wear traditional attire, you must wear the Asiwaju cap. Anyone who comes to the meeting without it will be sent back.”

Observers say the governor’s remarks reflect his firm stance on political unity within his cabinet as Edo prepares for the 2025 governorship election. His insistence on symbolic expressions of loyalty, such as the wearing of the Asiwaju cap, is seen by some as a strategy to consolidate support for the APC and maintain alignment with the federal government.

While the directive has drawn mixed reactions, with some political analysts describing it as excessive, others view it as a reflection of the growing culture of political branding and allegiance within the ruling party.

Governor Okpebholo, who assumed office earlier this year, has repeatedly expressed his commitment to aligning Edo State’s policies with the “Renewed Hope” agenda of President Tinubu. He has also called on party members to remain united, disciplined, and loyal as his administration continues its developmental agenda.