The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has called on Nigerians to move away from a culture of resignation and actively work toward installing good leadership.
Speaking in an interview, Adebayo lamented that despite repeated complaints during the administrations of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari, and now President Bola Tinubu, Nigerians have not taken sufficient action to bring about meaningful political change. He warned that merely waiting for divine intervention without deliberate civic engagement would not solve the country’s leadership challenges.
Setting his sights on the 2027 elections, Adebayo declared that his mission is to ensure that President Tinubu would be the last “bad leader” Nigeria would ever have. He emphasized that the key to achieving this lies in changing the nature of Nigerian politics.
“If you listen to politicians, they will tell you the current president is the problem. It was the same under Jonathan, then Buhari, and now Tinubu. My mission is to ensure Tinubu is the last of the bad presidents,” he said.
Adebayo stressed that meaningful political reform would require Nigerians to believe in ethical and legitimate politics, encourage the participation of talented individuals, and reject money-driven campaigns. He explained that the SDP has already reformed itself to reflect these values, and he urged citizens to adopt the party as a vehicle for national transformation.
He further stated, “While we are raising awareness, I don’t want Nigerians to just sit at home blaming politicians. The mandate comes from the people. If the people raise their expectations, politicians will have to meet them.”
Adebayo also highlighted the commitment of the SDP’s leadership, including National Chairman Shehu Gabam and National Secretary Olu Ogunloye, to grassroots reforms aimed at addressing the plight of the masses. He reiterated that the SDP’s politics is firmly rooted in the welfare of Nigerians and the ideals enshrined in the Constitution.
