The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarrett Tenebe, has warned that any commissioner who attends Executive Council meetings without wearing President Bola Tinubu’s signature cap will face suspension from the party.
The directive follows Governor Monday Okpebholo’s instruction that all commissioners must wear the “Asiwaju cap” during state executive council sessions. The governor issued the order during the inauguration of the last batch of commissioners, stressing that compliance was mandatory.
“I will not be pleased with any commissioner who fails to wear Tinubu’s Asiwaju cap. If you come to the EXCO meeting without it, you may have to return,” Governor Okpebholo said during the ceremony.
The “Asiwaju” cap, recognized by its embroidered broken shackle emblem, has become an emblem of President Tinubu’s political identity. The title “Asiwaju,” a Yoruba term meaning leader, symbolizes loyalty and solidarity within the APC.
Governor Okpebholo, who came into office in November 2024 after defeating the ruling party in a tight race, said the policy aims to reinforce unity between state and federal officials under the APC-led administration.
Tenebe: ‘No Asiwaju Cap, No Exco’
Speaking during a television interview monitored in Benin, Tenebe described refusal to comply with the governor’s directive as indiscipline and insubordination.
“If you refuse to wear the cap as the governor has directed, we will suspend you. That is indiscipline and insubordination,” he said.
Tenebe also emphasized that the Edo APC remains committed to delivering 3.5 million votes for President Tinubu in the 2027 elections, insisting that the loyalty of appointees must be unquestionable.
“We have promised that 3.5 million votes are guaranteed. If, as an APC member, you got an appointment, you must be loyal to the President,” he added.
“We are expressing our loyalty to President Tinubu by wearing the cap. Those complaining are not true members of the APC. No Asiwaju cap, no Exco.”
While supporters of the policy see it as a harmless gesture of unity, critics argue that competence and governance should take precedence over symbolic displays of political loyalty.
Footage of Governor Okpebholo’s remarks has circulated widely on social media, sparking mixed reactions among Edo residents and political observers.
