The Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in office ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The endorsement was made on Tuesday when the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) visited the Benin Royal Palace to seek the monarch’s blessing and support as the 2027 re-election campaign begins.

The delegation was led by the Director-General of the PCC, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, and included Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko; former Kebbi State Governor, Senator Adamu Aleiro; former Kano State Governor and former APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; and former Katsina State Governor and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari.

Also on the delegation were former Senate President Pius Anyim, the Minister of Water Resources, and the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, among other members of the campaign council.

The Edo State Deputy Governor received the delegation on behalf of Governor Monday Okpebholo before introducing the team to the monarch.

Speaking during the visit at the palace, Yari conveyed Tinubu’s greetings to the Oba and appealed for the monarch’s blessing and support for the President ahead of the 2027 election.

Yari highlighted what he described as some of the administration’s achievements, including the reduction in food prices, the stabilisation of the naira after it had risen to about ₦1,800 to the dollar, and the construction of inter-regional roads.

In his response, the Oba of Benin thanked Tinubu for the warm reception he received during his visit to the State House in Abuja and expressed appreciation to the campaign council for visiting the palace.

The monarch subsequently prayed for Tinubu to secure a renewed four-year mandate, saying the President should be allowed to continue with his programmes.

“For somebody who is doing well, it is our prayer that he gets a renewed mandate,” the Oba said.

He added in Pidgin: “As he dey pain them, he dey sweet us.”

The monarch also urged Nigerians and opposition parties to support the President, arguing that those who believe Tinubu is doing well should join hands with him to continue his work.

“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone,” he said. “If one is doing well, why not join hands with the President to do what he is doing well? Let President Tinubu finish the good work.”

The Oba further said that not everyone was suited to occupy the office of President and called on opposition parties to support Tinubu in implementing his ongoing programmes.

He asked the delegation to convey his best wishes and appreciation to the President for the hospitality extended to him during his visit to Abuja.

The Lagos State Police Command has vowed to arrest Nigerians who organised a protest against the presence of Chinese traders at the Lagos Trade Fair Complex.

The protesters had gathered at the market and chanted, “Chinese must go,” while demanding that Chinese merchants leave the market and return to their country.

However, the traders said their protest was not aimed at attacking Chinese nationals but was driven by concerns over the alleged involvement of some Chinese businesses in retail trading, which they claimed was affecting their businesses.

One of the protesters said, “We no longer make sales. If you import goods, they slash their prices lower than our own and sell to our customers.”

The trader alleged that some Chinese businesses had rented shops and built warehouses within the complex, where they sold goods directly to consumers.

He further alleged that some of the businesses obtained customers’ telephone numbers from waybills and contacted them to sell their goods directly.

According to the protesters, their concerns were specifically about the alleged competition with Nigerian traders and not a call for attacks on Chinese nationals or the destruction of their businesses.

“If any of us spoils anything here, the person will pay for it. We are not saying we are going to beat the Chinese or spoil their warehouse,” the trader said.

He stressed that Nigerian traders had maintained good relationships with Chinese business owners but objected to their alleged involvement in retail trading.

The protest, however, attracted the attention of security agencies, with the Lagos State Police Command describing those behind the demonstration as “few and handful miscreants” and warning that arrests would be made.

The development followed a briefing attended by the Chairman of Amuwo Local Government, Prince Lanre Sanusi; officials of the Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association (ASPMDA) Market; the Lagos State Police Command led by the Area Commander; and other security agencies.

The meeting was held to brief members of the public and address the situation following the protest at the market.

In an update on the incident, the area commander, who represented the state police commissioner, Tijani Fatai, said, “What happened was the handwork of a few miscreants, few disgruntled fellows in the market. A handful of them that went the other way. And they have been cautioned and arrests will be made as soon as possible.”

The leadership of ASPMDA also said the situation was quickly brought under control after the incident.

The police intervention came after videos of the protest circulated on social media, showing traders gathered at the market and chanting against the presence of Chinese merchants.

Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has challenged institutions to make public his official records, including his academic documents, insisting that he has nothing to hide.

Obi made the call during an interview on 90 Minutes Africa while responding to questions about claims by Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, that presidential candidates in the country have files with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The former Anambra State governor said he was unaware of having any FBI file and had never had dealings with the agency.

“I don’t know. I’ve never met the FBI,” he said.

Obi said anyone seeking public office should be prepared to subject himself to comprehensive scrutiny and accountability.

He specifically called on the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), to release all documents contained in his academic records, including his admission documents and academic results from his first year through graduation.

“I’m begging the University of Nigeria to make available every document in my file, how I was admitted and all my results from year one to final year,” he said.

Obi also urged institutions where he attended executive programmes to make his records available for public scrutiny.

They include Lagos Business School, the London School of Economics, Columbia Business School, Kellogg School of Management, Harvard Business School, Oxford, Cambridge, INSEAD and IMD.

He said transparency should be a requirement for anyone aspiring to hold public office, arguing that leaders must be willing to demonstrate the values they expect from society.

“If you seek public life, you should subject yourself to public scrutiny because you are a leader and you must exemplify the values that make society work,” he said.

Obi also challenged other presidential candidates to adopt the same level of openness, saying politicians with questionable records should be prepared to explain their past to Nigerians.

He said public officials should not shy away from scrutiny but should be willing to account for their past actions and records.

The issue over Obi’s credentials came to the fore in this election season after a politician, Abayomi Arabambi, sued UNN over the alleged refusal to release details of the academic record of the NDC Presidential Candidate.

Arabambi, in a fresh suit, said he had requested a certified true copy (CTC) of Obi’s certificate number D000198 in respect of a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy issued in 1984 in line with the Freedom of Information Act, but the institution turned down his demand.

In the originating motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2144/2026 and filed by his lawyer, Anderson Asemota, on September 9 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, said letters had been written to the university.

In the court documents made available on Saturday, the applicant, a former factional spokesperson for Labour Party, named the VC and UNN as 1st and 2nd respondents.

He sought an order of mandamus compelling the respondents to perform their statutory duty under the FoI Act, 2011, by determining and responding to his request dated July 16 in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

According to Arabambi in the affidavit setting out the facts, by a letter dated 16th July, 2026, the applicant requested a CTC of Certificate No. D000198, stated to have been issued by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to Gregory Peter Onwubuasi Obi in respect of a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy in 1984.

“The applicant also requested a Certified True Copy of the certificate, academic record or other official records upon which the said degree was predicated.

“The said request was duly delivered to and received by the respondents on 6th August, 2026.

“The applicant expressly made the request pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, and stated the public-interest and accountability basis for the request.

“The respondents failed and/or neglected to provide the requested information within the period prescribed by the Act,” he said.

Arabambi stated that the respondents did not communicate to him a written notice of refusal identifying the specific provision of the Act relied upon for refusing access.