The South-West Council of Obas and Traditional Rulers has thrown its support behind President Bola Tinubu and called for the presidency to remain in Southern Nigeria after the 2027 general elections.

The monarchs made their position known on Wednesday following a meeting at the Aafin Olubadan in Ibadan, Oyo State, where they also backed the proposed creation of state police and opposed any move to restore fuel subsidy, Vanguard reported.

In a communiqué read by the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, the traditional rulers said retaining the presidency in the South would sustain the power-sharing arrangement they considered important to national cohesion and political stability.

They also urged the Federal Government to sustain its position on fuel subsidy removal, maintaining that a return to the policy would not support the country’s long-term economic interests. On security, the Council welcomed the establishment of a new military brigade in Oyo State and called for the proposed state police system to be pursued as part of efforts to address internal security challenges.

Ahead of the 2027 polls, the monarchs urged political actors and Nigerians to reject electoral violence, intimidation and vote-buying. They further called for stronger engagement between traditional institutions across the country’s geopolitical zones, pledging to promote cooperation with their counterparts in Northern Nigeria and other regions.

The meeting was hosted by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, and attended by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, the Soun of Ogbomosho, the Deji of Akure and other traditional rulers from the six South-West states.