Former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has declared that he will again contest for the presidency in 2027, insisting that the current administration of President Bola Tinubu has failed Nigerians “in every aspect of governance.”
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Tuesday, Adebayo said he has formally notified his party of his intention to run and is working to strengthen the SDP ahead of the next general elections.
“I’ve informed my party that I’m running again, and everyone in my party knows that I’m running again,” he said. “We are working to strengthen the party, invite new members, and manage the challenges that come with integrating people from other political groups. Our goal is to ensure the party does not disappoint Nigerians.”
The SDP chieftain said he remains one of the few 2023 presidential contenders still loyal to his political platform, noting that other candidates, including those who came second and third in the last election, have since abandoned their parties.
“After every election, most candidates leave their parties. Among those who ran last time, probably only President Tinubu and I have remained in our parties,” Adebayo stated. “We are building the SDP to be stronger than ever. The executive remains intact, and our membership has grown.”
On the defection of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, Adebayo said the former minister was no longer a member of the SDP.
“Despite my best hopes, his relationship with the party has come to an end,” he explained. “He wasn’t standing in my way at all. In fact, I wish we had more people like him who can work hard when they choose to.”
Turning to his vision for 2027, Adebayo said his campaign will focus on aligning governance with the Constitution and the goals of the Nigerian Republic.
“My duty is to stand with the people and remind those in government that they are failing. Even in areas where we thought they would succeed because they are easy to handle, they are failing woefully,” he said.
He accused the Tinubu administration of neglecting key sectors such as security, education, justice, and poverty alleviation.
“I thought they would recognise that the country needs security and ensure safety across Nigeria, but they haven’t done much,” Adebayo said. “New terror groups are emerging, communities in the Middle Belt are turning against each other, and Boko Haram remains undefeated. Today, you’re more likely to see officials taking selfies with terrorists than fighting them.”
On the economy, Adebayo faulted the government’s handling of poverty and development.
“A hungry man who is hungry at 2 p.m. should not remain hungry by the end of the day if you have a working government,” he argued. “This government is promising things beyond its tenure but failing to do the things within its power now.”
He criticised the administration’s student loan policy, noting that poor infrastructure and recurring strikes undermine its purpose.
“What’s the point of a student loan if lecturers are on strike and roads to the universities are bad?” he asked. “Even my scholarship programme now costs ₦400 million more because tuition and living costs are rising.”
Adebayo also condemned the recent presidential pardons, describing them as “a fiasco.”
“Presidential clemency should reflect thoughtfulness, not criminal endorsement. You can’t claim you lack funds to grant mercy correctly,” he said. “Instead of governing, they spend their time staging political theatre, moving governors from party to party, and calling that an achievement.”
He urged Nigerians to reject any attempt to re-elect the Tinubu administration, warning that a second term would “compound the nation’s disgrace.”
“Every Nigerian who loves this country should want President Tinubu to be a one-term president,” he declared. “If failure lasts four years, someone else can clean up. But if failure is allowed another four years, it becomes a national tragedy.”
Responding to concerns about disunity among opposition parties, Adebayo said media misinterpretation often exaggerates internal reforms within parties.
”“When parties reform and correct internal issues, the media call it a crisis,” he said. “If we hide corruption or forgery in our party and then criticise the government for the same thing, we become hypocrites. So, sometimes, noise is necessary for cleansing.”
He assured that the SDP remains united and ideologically grounded.
“I’ve been in the SDP since 1991, when I was 19 years old,” Adebayo affirmed. “I’m not going anywhere. I will lead this party to victory on behalf of the Nigerian people.”
Boluwatife Enome
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