‘No vacancy in Aso Rock for four or five years’ — Oba of Lagos backs Tinubu for second term

Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos, has declared his support
for President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term, saying there will be no
vacancy in Aso Rock for the next four or five years.

 

Akiolu spoke when the presidential campaign council (PCC) of
the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by its director-general, Abdulaziz
Yari, paid him a courtesy visit at his palace in Lagos.

“For the next four or five years, there is no vacancy in Aso
Rock,” the monarch said.

The Oba urged politicians to ensure that the 2027 general
election is peaceful and conducted in a manner that benefits Nigerians.

He also advised members of the APC campaign council to be
honest in their dealings and avoid actions capable of undermining peace and
stability in the country.

Akiolu cautioned politicians against adopting the
Machiavellian principle that “the end justifies the means” in pursuing
electoral victory.

Speaking earlier, Yari said the delegation visited the
monarch to seek his blessing, prayers and advice ahead of the council’s
nationwide campaign activities.

He said the council had earlier visited the Sokoto caliphate
before proceeding to Lagos.

Yari appealed for continued support for Tinubu, saying the
council believes the president deserves another term to consolidate what he
described as the gains of his administration.

He cited the administration’s efforts to address economic
challenges, insecurity and infrastructure development as reasons for the
council’s support.

Yari acknowledged the economic difficulties facing Nigerians
but said some indicators showed improvement, particularly in the availability
of funds and efforts to stabilise the economy.

On insecurity, the former governor of Zamfara said Tinubu
had continued to provide support and equipment for the military and police.

He also recalled that Tinubu had supported the emergence of
the late former President Muhammadu Buhari because of the security challenges
facing the country at the time.

Yari said the council’s support for Tinubu is not merely
political reciprocity but is based on its belief that the president should be
allowed to continue implementing his plans for the country.

He added that members of the council from the north would
work to secure the region’s support for Tinubu’s re-election.

Receiving the delegation, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of
Lagos, described the visit as significant, noting that the council had chosen
to seek the Oba’s royal blessing immediately after its engagement in Sokoto.

Sanwo-Olu said the delegation comprised eminent Nigerians
who had served in various capacities, including former governors, a former
senate president, former speakers and serving governors.

He described Lagos as a key political centre and the
country’s commercial and economic nerve centre, saying the visit demonstrated
the importance the APC attached to the traditional institution.

The event was attended by APC leaders and stakeholders in
Lagos, including local government chairmen, members of the National Assembly
and state lawmakers.

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