The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu has already weakened his chances of securing a second term in office ahead of the 2027 general election due to what he described as the poor performance of his administration.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Adebayo argued that the Tinubu-led government has failed to effectively address some of Nigeria’s most pressing challenges, including poverty, insecurity, economic hardship, and poor governance.
According to him, many Nigerians had expected meaningful reforms and improvements since the administration assumed office, but those expectations have largely remained unmet.
Adebayo maintained that rather than focusing on delivering tangible results, the government appears more concerned with completing its tenure, a situation he believes has undermined the purpose of governance and negatively affected the President’s prospects in the next election.
He urged Nigerians not to be distracted by political personalities or campaign rhetoric but instead concentrate on evaluating candidates based on their ability to provide practical solutions to the nation’s problems.
The SDP presidential candidate stressed that issues such as insecurity, unemployment, poverty, inflation, and weak governance should dominate political conversations as the country prepares for the 2027 polls.
Adebayo also expressed support for collaboration among political stakeholders but clarified that his primary objective is to unite Nigerians around workable solutions rather than simply building an opposition coalition for electoral purposes.
He noted that the outcome of the 2027 election would ultimately depend on the willingness of citizens to participate actively in the electoral process and maintain confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
Addressing questions surrounding the publication of candidates’ credentials by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Adebayo explained that the commission’s responsibility is limited to receiving and displaying information submitted by political parties and candidates.
He argued that INEC does not possess the constitutional authority to determine the eligibility of candidates or independently verify every document presented to it.
Describing the commission’s role, Adebayo said:
“INEC is our servant. It’s working for the public. INEC is just like the post office. Its role is to collect the information submitted by political parties and candidates and make it available to the electorate. It’s not INEC’s job to vet the information.”
He stated that it is the responsibility of Nigerians, political parties, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders to scrutinise candidates’ declarations and challenge any false claims through the appropriate legal channels where necessary.
The SDP flagbearer also dismissed reports suggesting that his party was experiencing an internal leadership or nomination crisis.
According to him, the party’s nomination process was peaceful, transparent, and conducted in line with established procedures.
He noted that the publication of his name by INEC was simply part of the commission’s routine electoral process, adding that the electoral body also published the names of the SDP vice-presidential candidate, 109 senatorial candidates, and 360 House of Representatives candidates.
Adebayo concluded by encouraging Nigerians to move beyond political speculation and focus on assessing candidates based on their competence, credibility, and proposed solutions to the country’s economic, security, and governance challenges ahead of the 2027 general election.
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