₦airaland Forum

By Temidayo Akinsuyi

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.

OBUKSBAYELSA:
Good!
Oshiomole back in business

bennybuhari:
By Temidayo Akinsuyi

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.

https://independent.ng/okpebholos-tinubu-cap-directive-will-boost-jobs-for-tailors-edo-govt/

Tochi3:


..when a snatch "governor" can't pronounce figures written in numbers..he engages all through his grab tenure in senselessness & frivolities..Just to answer the title " governor"..

..okpebolo pronounce #1,555,001, 100.

bennybuhari:
https://independent.ng/okpebholos-tinubu-cap-directive-will-boost-jobs-for-tailors-edo-govt/

bolaayenimo:
He said he can pronounce it but was just confused