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From Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan
The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has accused President Bola Tinubu of being more interested in remaining in Aso Rock and accumulating wealth than in providing effective leadership for Nigerians.
Adebayo made the allegation on Thursday in Ibadan, Oyo State, during the public presentation of his 2027–2031 Governance and Accelerated Development Blueprint, titled “Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity.” The event and the allegations were also reported by multiple Nigerian news outlets.
According to Adebayo, Tinubu was not interested in the responsibilities associated with the presidency, including supervising ministers, engaging with citizens and ensuring the provision of basic services such as education and healthcare.
“Tinubu doesn’t want to be your president. He doesn’t care. He doesn’t like the job of president. Tinubu doesn’t want to stay in Aso Rock and serve the people. He doesn’t want to talk to you. He doesn’t want to supervise ministers,” Adebayo alleged.
He further alleged that the President was occupying the office primarily to accumulate wealth, a claim for which he did not provide evidence during the event.
“Tinubu is only around because he wants to pack money,” he said.
Adebayo also alleged that Tinubu’s earlier political strategy was to sponsor individuals into political offices and benefit financially from their positions before eventually deciding to seek the presidency himself.
The SDP candidate urged Nigerians to take greater responsibility for their political choices, arguing that the country’s recurring governance problems could not be separated from the choices citizens make during elections.
He also warned of further economic hardship if Tinubu remained in office, predicting that petrol could rise to ₦5,000 per litre and that inflationary pressures could further erode the purchasing power of Nigerians.
Adebayo described Nigeria’s 66 years of independence as an unfulfilled promise for citizens still struggling with poverty, unemployment, inadequate housing, healthcare and other basic needs.
He compared Nigeria’s development trajectory with the progress recorded by the University of Ibadan, arguing that the country should have achieved significantly more decades after independence.
However, he said his presentation was not intended to be an exercise in lamentation but a call for citizens to take organised action towards rebuilding the country.
“I don’t want to come here and do lamentations. I want to congratulate you that you have decided to take back your country,” he said.
Calls for Organised Democratic Action
Adebayo identified what he described as citizens’ willingness to compromise their values for political benefits as one of the factors sustaining poor governance.
He urged Nigerians to reject political patronage, misinformation and the misuse of public resources, arguing that citizens should stop cooperating with practices they consider unjust.
The SDP candidate maintained that government must guarantee access to education, healthcare, housing, food and employment.
Using his experience as a farmer, Adebayo said government should demonstrate the same commitment to human welfare that livestock owners show when caring for their animals.
“When my cow is sick, I use my money to treat the cow. The cow doesn’t pay for it. How can I value my cow more than the government values you?” he asked.
On electricity, he advocated a nationwide solar-power initiative, including the installation of rooftop solar systems, particularly for low-income households. His broader blueprint also proposes decentralised electricity systems as part of its approach to Nigeria’s power challenges.
Adebayo said Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity was not merely a campaign document but an undertaking to deploy Nigeria’s resources for the benefit of citizens.
“This manifesto, Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity, is not a book for entertainment and it is not a book of decoration,” he said.
He also warned that poverty, unemployment and lack of access to education and healthcare could expose vulnerable Nigerians to further hardship, including recruitment into criminal groups.
‘We Need Organised Democracy’
Adebayo argued that Nigerians’ inability to organise across ethnic, religious and other divides remained a major obstacle to national development.
“The greatest problem of Nigeria is that we don’t know how to organise. Individually, it would make sense, but we need to learn to organise,” he said.
According to him, citizens must build an organised democratic movement capable of confronting what he described as organised crime in government.
He called on Nigerians to stop allowing political actors to exploit religious, ethnic and gender differences to divide them.
As part of his Independence Day message, Adebayo also urged Nigerians to focus less on political personalities and more on organising within their immediate communities.
He encouraged citizens to engage their neighbours on political participation, the country’s challenges and possible solutions, beginning at the grassroots.
“Focus on how to build your country from your street,” he said.
