The Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare II, has backed President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid, saying there was no need for change if a leader was performing well.
The monarch spoke when Senator Abdulaziz Yari led members of the Presidential Campaign Council to the Benin Palace to seek royal blessings and support for Tinubu’s re-election.
While stressing that the Benin throne remained neutral, Oba Ewuare said: “The Benin throne is non-partisan. Having said that, the Benin throne does not see any need to change for the sake of change. If one is going to see the leader, the head doing well, why change for the sake of change?”
The Oba, who said he was not a Christian but sometimes quoted from the Bible and the Quran, cited the words of Jesus Christ, saying: “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
Explaining why he used the quote, the monarch said there had been “so much talk, so much criticism,” adding that many people aspired to become president, governor and hold other offices.
Recalling a private conversation with an unnamed politician, he said: “I suggested to a politician that why not join hands with the president to make a success of what he’s going to do, of what he’s doing.”
