The Edo State government has dismissed criticisms trailing Governor Monday Okpebholo’s directive to members of the State Executive Council (SEC) to wear President Bola Tinubu’s signature cap, describing the controversy as unnecessary and misplaced.
It even noted that wearing Asiwaju’s cap will even create more work for tailors.
Governor Okpebholo had, during last week’s Executive Council meeting in Benin, urged his commissioners and aides to emulate President Tinubu’s dress sense by adopting his trademark cap style, saying it was a sign of solidarity and alignment with the ideals of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I will not forgive any commissioner that is not wearing this cap. In our exco meetings, if you are not wearing a suit and you are coming to the meeting without this Asiwaju cap, you will go back.”
His comment, which was intended as a lighthearted gesture, however, sparked widespread reactions on social media, with critics accusing the governor of trivialising governance.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, who spoke to Daily Independent on Monday, said it was surprising that some Nigerians chose to focus on trivial matters instead of engaging with issues of governance and development.
Afegbua explained that since members of the State Executive Council were appointed on the platform of the APC, they were expected to demonstrate loyalty to both the party and its national leader, President Bola Tinubu.
“Why do people take very serious issues that don’t even concern them?” Afegbua asked. “Before you become a commissioner in this state under the APC government, you must be a member of the party. You must also defer to the leader of the party, President Bola Tinubu, and buy into the Renewed Hope Agenda, which is the campaign mantra of the APC.”
He added that the party’s traditions and symbols, including its anthem ‘On Your Mandate We Shall Stand’, serve to strengthen unity among members, and that the governor’s suggestion was meant to promote camaraderie, not controversy.
“So, if the governor reminds us to wear the insignia of the man who leads our party, should that bother anyone? Does wearing Asiwaju’s cap stop us from performing our duties as appointees? The answer is no,” he said.
Afegbua described the public backlash as an example of misplaced priorities, insisting that the comment by Governor Okpebholo was made jokingly to lighten the atmosphere during a meeting.
“It was just a little remark to spice up the moment, yet some people have turned it into an issue. Why drink Panadol for someone else’s headache? Are we complaining? Are you a commissioner complaining on our behalf ?” he queried.
The commissioner stressed that members of the Edo State cabinet remain loyal to both President Tinubu and Governor Okpebholo, who is the leader of the APC in the state.
“Some of these commentaries are just laughable. We should focus on serious matters that add value rather than dwell on trivialities,” Afegbua continued. “If you look at it from another perspective, wearing Asiwaju’s cap will even create more work for tailors. It’s still contributing to the economy.”
Afegbua urged critics to allow the government to concentrate on delivering good governance to the people of Edo State, emphasising that symbolic gestures of party loyalty should not be mistaken for misplaced priorities.
