Adebayo Claims Tinubu Has Already Lost 2027 Election Due to Poor Governance

Adebayo Claims Tinubu Has Already Lost 2027 Election

Adewole Adebayo, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), said President Bola Tinubu has effectively “defeated himself” before the 2027 general election because of his administration’s poor performance.

He argued that the government has failed to adequately address poverty, insecurity and other governance challenges confronting Nigerians.

Adebayo made these remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, stating that the administration seems to be merely waiting out its term instead of delivering the change citizens expect.

According to him, the government’s weak performance undermines the purpose of governance and harms Tinubu’s re‑election prospects.

He urged Nigerians to shift their focus from the personalities contesting the election to the nation’s pressing problems.

Adebayo identified poverty, insecurity, poor governance and economic hardship as the key issues that should dominate political debate ahead of the polls.

The SDP candidate said he supports cooperation among political actors but stresses that his goal is to unite Nigerians around practical solutions, not merely to build an opposition alliance.

He added that the election outcome will largely depend on voter turnout and public confidence in the electoral process.

Speaking on the publication of candidates’ particulars, Adebayo said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is responsible for receiving and displaying information submitted by political parties.

He argued that INEC is not empowered to determine candidate eligibility or to independently verify every credential submitted to it.

“INEC is our servant. It’s working for the public. INEC is just like the post office,” he said.

“Its role is to collect the information submitted by political parties and candidates and make it available to the electorate. It’s not INEC’s job to vet the information.”

Adebayo said members of the public and other stakeholders must scrutinise candidates’ declarations and challenge any suspected falsehood through the appropriate legal processes.

The presidential candidate also dismissed reports of an internal crisis within the SDP, insisting that the party conducted a peaceful and transparent nomination process.

He noted that the publication of his name by INEC was a routine part of the electoral process, and that the commission also published the name of the SDP vice‑presidential candidate, alongside 109 senatorial candidates and 360 House of Representatives candidates.

Adebayo urged Nigerians to move beyond political speculation and assess candidates based on their proposed solutions to the country’s economic, security and governance challenges.