Former SDP presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo has urged Nigerians to reject recycled politicians and embrace new leaders with fresh ideas as the 2027 elections draw near
2027: SDP’s Adebayo Urges Nigerians to Reject Party-Hopping Politicians Without Fresh Ideas
As the race for Nigeria’s 2027 presidential elections begins to gather steam, Adewole Adebayo, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 polls, has cautioned Nigerians against embracing recycled politicians who switch parties without changing their political philosophy.
Speaking to journalists, Adebayo stressed that only fresh leaders with new ideas can deliver the change Nigerians have long desired. He argued that entrenched political habits—such as feudalistic governance, lack of accountability, and the monetization of politics—have continued to undermine Nigeria’s democracy regardless of the ruling party.
“Changing your political party without changing your tendency is just a mere nomenclature,” Adebayo said. “If you carry that mentality wherever you go, it will pollute that place. What Nigerians need are new politicians with new ideas, not the same old faces changing party names.”
Adebayo criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) for flouting electoral laws on early campaigning, accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of setting a bad precedent. He noted that opposition parties are forced into a campaign mode because the ruling party has continued to mount billboards and engage in political rallies long before the timeline permitted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
On the state of opposition politics, Adebayo dismissed the relevance of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its coalition, stating that the SDP had earlier rejected overtures from the group because they failed to provide answers to fundamental political and ideological questions. “What is wrong with Nigerian politics is not the acronym of a party but the philosophy that guides it,” he said.
Addressing reports of division within the SDP, Adebayo insisted that the party remains united and guided by law and order. He explained that disciplinary actions, such as the suspension of National Secretary Olu Agunloye by the National Working Committee, were a sign of the party’s strong internal structures rather than factionalization.
He also touched on the controversy surrounding former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai, who has reportedly urged voters to support SDP candidates despite questions about his membership. Adebayo clarified that party records do not list El-Rufai as a member but emphasized that “anyone who says vote for the SDP is my friend, whether they are in the party or not.”
On the economy, Adebayo questioned the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) commendation of President Tinubu’s economic stabilization efforts, arguing that such assessments do not reflect the harsh realities Nigerians face. “If you are earning a million naira and can barely afford basic needs, then whatever WTO is saying doesn’t make sense,” he said.
Adebayo urged Nigerians to prioritize character and ideas when choosing leaders in 2027, insisting that the solution to the nation’s challenges lies in new leadership. “Let no one say that the good ones are not coming out or that the beautiful ones are not yet born. Now is the time for a new direction. We must bid farewell to poverty and insecurity,” he declared. Read More
