Prince Adewole Adebayo, national leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its 2023 presidential candidate, has urged Nigerians to demand new leadership. He maintained that recycling old politicians will not solve Nigeria’s pressing political and economic crises.
No Factions in the SDP
Adebayo dismissed reports of divisions in the SDP. According to him, the party is united but has different ideological tendencies. He stressed that every organ of the SDP functions effectively, unlike many other parties where structures exist only on paper.
El-Rufai’s Alleged Membership
On former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai’s alleged ties to the SDP, Adebayo clarified that party officials confirm membership only through official records. He added that while he has no personal objection to El-Rufai joining, the party’s organs hold the final say.
The SDP leader said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has worsened Nigeria’s economic situation. He argued that APC’s ten years of poor results resemble the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) 16 years in power.
“Changing parties without changing tendencies is empty. Both APC and PDP have failed Nigerians,” Adebayo stated.
Call for New Leadership
Adebayo insisted that Nigeria needs fresh leaders with new ideas. He compared relying on old politicians to “expecting a leopard to change its spots.” With 97 percent of Nigerians living in poverty and institutions failing, he argued that the country cannot afford to remain conservative.
On Okonjo-Iweala’s Assessment
Reacting to WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s comments on President Tinubu’s reforms, Adebayo said economic stabilization does not mean success. He accused the government of concealing inflation figures and burning scarce resources to defend the naira rather than investing in jobs, infrastructure, and education.
INEC and Premature Campaigns
Adebayo faulted President Tinubu and the APC for flouting electoral laws. He said the ruling party has set the wrong tone by campaigning far ahead of 2027. Consequently, opposition parties are forced to respond in campaign mode instead of focusing solely on governance.
Opposition Coalitions
On alliances, Adebayo dismissed the African Democratic Congress (ADC). He explained that the ADC failed to address crucial ideological questions during talks with the SDP. He argued that Nigerian politics suffers from poor ethics, shallow funding systems, and lack of genuine ideology.
