SDP Candidate Adewole Adebayo Criticises Tinubu and Shettima’s Leadership

Adewole Adebayo, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has criticised President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, stating that their style of leadership contradicts the values expected of Muslims holding public office.

Adebayo also dismissed the relevance of a Muslim‑Muslim presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election, insisting that religion should not be used to shield a government from scrutiny over its performance.

According to him, the President and Vice President cannot be presented as credible representatives of Islamic leadership because their administration allegedly lacks justice, honesty, compassion and charity.

Adebayo said Nigerians searching for Muslims who could demonstrate good leadership in positions of authority should not look to Tinubu and Shettima.

“Even if people were looking for Muslims in authority, the President and the Vice President don’t symbolise that; they symbolise the opposite,” he said.

“They are actually what the Prophet and all the leaders of Islam warned Muslims against.”

The SDP chieftain argued that leadership, particularly one claiming to draw legitimacy from religious identity, should be built on fairness, truthfulness and concern for the welfare of citizens.

He said, “This kind of leadership where there is no justice, no truth, no honesty, where there is no kindness and no charity.

“So, I don’t think that sheep can come and rob the people one more time. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Adebayo maintained that the debate over the religious composition of the presidential ticket should not overshadow questions about competence, character and the government’s record in office.

He argued that Nigerians were more concerned about the quality of leadership and the ability of those in power to deliver justice, security and economic relief than the faith professed by political candidates.

The politician’s comments came amid renewed debate over the future of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 election.

The decision generated controversy at the time, with critics arguing that selecting two Muslims for the country’s highest political offices could undermine religious balance in a diverse nation.

The APC, however, defended the arrangement, describing it as a decision based on competence and electoral strategy rather than religion.

In recent months, there had been speculation that Shettima could be replaced with a Christian running mate as Tinubu prepared for the 2027 presidential contest.

Supporters of the proposed change argued that choosing a Christian could help the ruling party address concerns over religious inclusion and broaden its appeal among voters.

However, Tinubu recently put an end to the speculation by announcing Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.

The announcement effectively signalled the continuation of the Muslim‑Muslim ticket that brought the APC to power in 2023.

Adebayo, however, insisted that retaining the ticket would not automatically guarantee electoral support, especially if Nigerians remained dissatisfied with the administration’s performance.