The Edo State government has warned that commissioners failing to wear President Bola Tinubu's signature 'Asiwaju' cap at executive meetings will face suspension from the All Progressives Congress (APC). This directive from Governor Monday Okpebholo aims to symbolize loyalty to the federal leadership. Party officials emphasize it as a show of unity ahead of the 2027 elections.
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State issued the directive during the inauguration of the last batch of commissioners, stating, “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.” The cap, featuring an embroidered broken shackle emblem, represents Tinubu's political identity, with 'Asiwaju' meaning 'leader' in Yoruba and signifying loyalty among APC members.
Okpebholo, who took office in November 2024 after a closely contested election victory over the ruling party, described the policy as a way to “reinforce a sense of shared purpose” between state and federal APC officials. Jarrett Tenebe, APC chairman in Edo State, reinforced this in a television interview, calling non-compliance an act of indiscipline and insubordination. He warned that any commissioner sent out of a State Executive Council meeting for not wearing the cap would be suspended from the party.
Tenebe linked the measure to the party's goal of securing 3.5 million votes for President Tinubu in the 2027 elections, saying, “We are doing it because we have made a promise that 3.5 million votes are guaranteed. Everybody has keyed into realising the 3.5 million votes.” He added, “If, as a member of the APC, you got an appointment, you are supposed to be loyal to the President. We are expressing our loyalty to the President by wearing the cap... No Asiwaju cap, no Exco.”
Supporters view the cap as a harmless gesture of party unity, while critics, including some opposition figures, call it “unnecessary and politically excessive,” arguing that governance should prioritize competence over symbolic allegiance. Footage of Okpebholo’s remarks has circulated widely on social media, eliciting mixed reactions from Edo residents and political commentators.