Former students of Old Western Boys Secondary School, Benin City, Edo State, have written to President Bola Tinubu’s administration to seek answers on how private groups can access the Presidential Villa’s Banquet Hall for social events.
The group made the request in a letter dated October 23, 2026, signed by Jotham Thompson Okhide on behalf of the Old Western Boys.
It followed the use of the facility by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the inauguration of its Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former students said the APC’s event prompted them to inquire whether the venue could also be hired for their proposed school reunion.
In the letter addressed to Tinubu through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the group requested details of the procedures, eligibility criteria and financial requirements for booking the facility.
The group also asked whether access was limited to official government functions and political parties or extended to private organisations seeking venues for social gatherings.
“Are former students organizing a private secondary school reunion eligible to use the facility, or is access restricted to government functions, political parties or just the APC?” the letter stated.
The former students argued that access to national facilities should be guided by established regulations rather than the political affiliation or identity of applicants.
They asked the Presidency to provide the official booking procedure, application forms, security and protocol requirements, and the total cost of hosting an event at the Banquet Hall.
They also sought information on venue rental fees, security charges, administrative expenses and other compulsory payments. The group further requested details of the office responsible for processing applications and the time required to secure approval.
The Old Western Boys said their request was not an attempt to obtain special treatment but an effort to understand the rules governing the use of the facility.
“We are not asking for preferential treatment, political patronage, or a presidential favour. We are simply asking for the rules, the price list, and the procedure, so that we may determine whether our reunion qualifies as an event worthy of consideration under the applicable guidelines,” Okhide wrote.
The group added that if the Banquet Hall was not ordinarily available for private gatherings, the Presidency should explain the conditions under which special approval could be granted.
It also requested an official schedule of charges to help determine whether hiring the venue would be feasible.
According to the former students, their proposed reunion would provide an opportunity to celebrate friendship, shared experiences and relationships built during their secondary school years.
“We believe such a gathering is a worthy social occasion, even if it does not involve campaign strategizing, political mobilization, or the inauguration of a campaign council,” the letter stated.
The group maintained that the APC’s use of the Presidential Villa for a political event had raised questions about the criteria for granting access to a facility associated with the Nigerian state.
“Surely, if a political party can assemble at the Presidential Villa for a campaign-related event, a group of old schoolmates should at least be permitted to understand the process for requesting the same privilege,” it added.
The request comes amid a separate demand by the African Action Congress (AAC), led by activist and presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, for access to the same facility.
In a statement dated October 21, the AAC asked Tinubu to approve the use of the Presidential Villa for the inauguration of its Presidential Campaign Council scheduled for November 11, 2026.
The party also requested food, drinks, security and logistical support for participants, citing reports of similar arrangements during the APC’s campaign council inauguration on October 14.
The AAC argued that public resources should be accessible to opposition parties and should not be reserved for the ruling party.
“If the Presidential Villa can host the political activities of the APC, the same consideration must be extended to other political parties, including the AAC,” the party stated.
“Democracy cannot thrive on double standards. Public resources belong to the Nigerian people, not the ruling party.”
